THE 

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\'-'V  A' 

EO  GEf  ,RK  RHOLDEN 


Louis  Byrne 

Slichter 


EX 

LIBRIS 


THE  FORERUNNER  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


THE  IDYL  OF 
THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

A  Carefully  Detailed  Description 
of  the  Rod's  Building 

Prefaced  by 

a  Dissertation  on  the  Joys  of  Angling 

there  being  appended  some  Information  on 

the  Home  Cultivation  of  Silkworm-Gut 

and  Suggestions  on  Landing-Nets  and 

other  Equipment,  and  for 

The  Angler's  Camp 

BY 
GEORGE  PARKER  HOLDEN,  M.D^F. A.C.S. 


PROFUSELY  ILLUSTRATED 


CINCINNATI 

STEWART  &.  KIDD  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


J-P-1  S  ,  Rnt  AC> 


COPYRIGHT,  1920,  BY 

STEWART    &    KIDD   COMPANY 
All  rights  reserved 

COPYRIGHT  IN  ENGLAND 


5144159 


THIS  ANGLERS'  BOOK 
is  DEDICATED 

FIRST  OF  ALL,  TO 

THAT  DEAR  WOMAN 

WHO   "  LETS   ME;  " 
NEXT,  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF   A  FRIEND, 

SIDNEY  HUGHES 

—  A  QUIET  AND  GENTLE 

SON  OF   HIS   LOVED  SOUTHLAND, 

WHERE   HE  DROPPED  ASLEEP  — 

WIZARD  WITH   A   FLY,   AND 

TO  WHOM   I  OWE   MY  FIRST 

INTRODUCTION  TO  TROUTING; 

AND,   AFTER  THESE, 
TO  THAT  GENIAL  COTERIE  OF 

CHERISHED  COMPANIONS 

WITH  WHOM  IT  HAS  BEEN  MY  GOOD  FORTUNE 

TO  HAVE  SPENT  SOME  OF  THE  MOST 

JOYOUS   HOURS  OF  MY  LIFE 

OUT-O'-DOOR 


FOREWORD 

The  publishers  regret  that  on  account  of  Dr.  van 
Dyke's  unexpected  absence  abroad,  this  "  Fore- 
word "  has  to  consist  of  the  following  letter  instead 
of  the  introduction  which  we  were  anticipating.  But 
if  this  distinguished  angler's  prediction  concerning 
the  present  volume  proves  correct,  perhaps  we  can 
have  that  introduction  in  a  later  edition. 

Avalon 

Princeton,  N.  J. 
December  8,  1919 
Dear  Dr.  Holden : 

I  am  glad  to  hear  about  your  new  book  on  "  The 
Split-Bamboo  Rod,"  and  though  I  had  made  a  re- 
solve not  to  write  any  more  introductions  for  books, 
or  in  fact  undertake  any  additional  work  of  any  kind 
this  winter  and  spring,  I  cannot  resist  the  impulse  to 
make  an  exception  in  your  case,  because  I  feel  sure 
that  your  book  will  be  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
practical  literature  of  angling,  as  well  as  a  delightful 
record  of  the  inward  and  outward  joys  of  that  art. 
If  therefore  you  will  send  me  a  set  of  page  proofs 


vi  FOREWORD 

of  the  book  when  it  is  finished,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to 
try  my  hand  at  a  little  "  Foreword,"  although  I 
know  that  your  volume  will  not  need  any  in- 
troduction. 

Believe  me, 

Cordially  yours, 
HENRY  VAN  DYKE 


We  sing  the  song  of  the  Split-Bamboo. 

The  author's  previous  book,  Streamer  aft,  deals 
mainly  with  actual  streamside  technic  —  the  selec- 
tion, care,  rigging,  and  use  of  the  rod;  with  the  choos- 
ing of  lures,  natural  and  artificial,  and  their  manipu- 
lation; and  with  fly-tying.  Its  contents,  presented 
in  a  pocket  form,  well  adapt  it  for  a  ready-reference 
companion  on  fishing  expeditions  and  even  when 
actually  engaged  on  the  water  in  the  quest  of  the 
finny  game.  It  comprises  much  data  correlated  from 
many  sources,  though  always  authoritative.  But  no- 
where else,  to  his  knowledge,  may  guidance  be  found 
for  the  construction  of  the  Split-Bamboo  Rod  equally 
comprehensive  and  detailed  as  in  the  pages  that 
follow.  This  has  been  preceded  by  a  dissertation 
on  "  The  Joys  of  Angling,"  and  there  has  been  ap- 
pended some  information  on  "  Cultivating  Silkworm- 
Gut  at  Home,"  and  some  suggestions  on  "  Landing- 
Nets  and  Other  Equipment,"  and  for  "  The  Angler's 
Camp."  The  former  treatise  is  largely  a  working 
manual  for  the  open  season  and  the  stream;  this  is 
more  a  book  for  Winter  evenings  and  the  fireside, 
and  for  the  workshop. 


viii  PREFACE 

The  sportsman's  transcendent  implements  are  his 
rod  and  his  gun.  Compared  with  the  glut  of  "  gun- 
dope  " —  data  on  models,  actions,  bores,  sights, 
gauges,  shells,  ballistics,  etc. —  constantly  appearing 
in  the  outdoor  journals  and  in  book  form  for  the 
consumption  of  the  followers  of  Nimrod,  there  is  a 
dearth  of  readily-available  and  plain  technical  infor- 
mation relating  to  the  fishing-rod.  While  it  might 
be  urged  that  comparatively  but  few  anglers  would 
care  to  undertake  the  manufacture  of  this  instrument 
in  its  glorified  form,  it  requires  little  argument  to 
convince  anyone  that  fishermen  in  general,  whether 
especially  addicted  either  to  fresh  or  salt  water,  love 
to  tinker  with  their  tackle;  and  no  argument  at  all 
to  elucidate  that  a  treatise  dealing  with  construction 
must  perforce  include  full  directions  for  all  rod  reno- 
vation and  repairs.  He  that  can  make  a  rod  cer- 
tainly can  fix  one.  Further,  we  admit  the  temerity 
to  trust  that  this  book  will  appreciably  stimulate  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  those  who  will  be  embold- 
ened to  essay  the  "  whole  trick." 

Building  a  split-bamboo  rod  is  an  operation,  and 
we  have  explained  our  technic  with  the  same  con- 
scientious care  that  we  would  observe  in  delineating 
the  consecutive  details  of  a  surgical  operation;  for  it 
is  a  matter  of  curious  comment  that  amongst  all  we 
have  read  of  definite  instruction  in  this  art,  we  never 
received  any  help  from  such  sources  in  overcoming 
those  particular  difficulties  in  handling  and  working 


PREFACE  ix 

bamboo  which  at  first  gave  us  the  most  trouble ;  per- 
versely, as  it  seemed  —  albeit  including  much  of  in- 
terest and  of  value  —  these  authorities  told  us  every- 
thing except  what  we  most  needed  to  know  for  per- 
fect success,  and  at  just  such  critical  places  they  left 
us  stranded.  We  earnestly  hope  to  succeed  here  in 
obviating  a  like  criticism. 

While  some  of  the  subjects  discussed  in  these  vol- 
umes have  been  dealt  with  much  more  exhaustively 
in  various  other  and  ofttimes  sumptuous  and  expen- 
sive treatises  —  many  of  them  of  foreign  author- 
ship —  it  has  been  the  present  writer's  ambition  to 
condense  between  the  two  pairs  of  covers  more  infor- 
mation than  hitherto  has  appeared  within  the  same 
extent  of  text,  of  essential,  practical  interest  to  the 
American  fresh-water  fisherman,  and  to  the  average 
type  of  enthusiastic  American  trout-fisherman  of 
today  in  particular;  and  at  the  same  time  not  with- 
out some  flavor  of  the  delightful  literary,  esthetic, 
and  what  may  be  termed  the  Nature  sides  of  angling, 
which  have  inseparably  been  associated  with  the 
sport  from  the  beginning.  In  this  way  it  is  hoped 
that  the  novice  may  easily  attain  an  adequate  idea  of 
the  comprehensive  scope  of  his  artful  recreation, 
while  our  efforts  shall  not  prove  without  interest 
even  to  those  who  have  a  more  familiar  acquaintance 
with  the  "  tight  line." 

With  appreciation  we  acknowledge  our  indebted- 
ness to  Mr.  Edwin  T.  Whiffen  of  New  Rochelle, 


x  PREFACE 

N.  Y.,  and  to  the  Forest  and  Stream  magazine,  for 
the  use  of  Mr.  Whiffen's  delightful  bit  of  natural  his- 
tory comprised  in  Chapter  XI. 

That  "  good  luck  "  in  abundant  measure  may  at- 
tend the  reader,  is  the  greeting  of 

A  BROTHER  ANGLER 

Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  Winter,  1919-20 


CONTENTS 

Dedication •     .-     .•     >      .  iii 

Foreword,  by  Henry  van  Dyke  .      .     >      .      .  v 

Preface vii 

I     The  Joys  of  Angling 3 

ROD-MAKING  : 

II     Bamboo  as  a  Rod  Material 35 

III  Splitting   Out,    Straightening,    and   Assembling 

the  Strips 49 

IV  Planing  the  Strips 69 

V     Rod  Tapers  and  Rod  Plotting 91 

VI     Gluing  Up 117 

VII     Ferrules    and    Their    Fitting;    One-Piece    and 

Spliced   Rods 133 

VIII     Windings  and  Guides 151 

IX     Handgrasp  and  Reelseat 177 

X     Varnishing  and  Finishing 191 

XI     Cultivating  Silkworm-Gut  at  Home,  by  Edwin 

T.  Whiffen 199 

XII     Landing-Nets  and  Other  Equipment      .      .      .  233 

XIII     The  Angler's  Camp 249 


THE  IDYL  OF  THE 
SPLIT-BAMBOO 

CHAPTER  I 
THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING 

Now,  when  the  first  foul  torrents  of  the  brooks, 
Swell'd  with  the  vernal  rains,  is  ebb'd   away, 
And,  whitening,  down  their  mossy-tinctured  stream 
Descends  the  billowy  foam;  now  is  the  time 
To  tempt  the  trout.     The  well-dissembled   fly, 
The  rod  fine-tapering  with  elastic  spring, 
Snatch'd  from  the  hoary  steed  the  floating  line, 
And  all  thy  slender  watery  stores  prepare. 

When  with  his  lively  ray,  the  potent  sun 
Has  pierced  the  streams  and  roused  the  finny  race, 
Then,  issuing  cheerful,  to  thy  sport  repair. 
Chief  should  the  western  breezes  curling  play, 
And  light  o'er  ether  bear  the  shadowy  clouds. 
High  to  their  fount,  this  day,  trace  up  the  brooks; 
The  next,  pursue  their  rocky-channel'd  maze 
Down  to  the  river,  in  whose  ample  wave 
Their  little  Naiads  love  to  sport  at  large. 

THOMSON'S  Seasons 

Fresh-  or  sweet-water  angling  is  one  of  the  most 
ancient,  cleanest,  most  engrossing,  enduring,  health- 
ful, and  accessible  of  recreations  available  in  this 

3 


4         THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

world  of  mingled  riches  and  poverty,  pleasure  and 
pain,  of  steadfast  affections  and  changing  regard; 
and  it  possesses  a  considerable  literature,  both  de- 
lightful and  classical,  extending  from  before  the 
times  of  Dame  Juliana  Berners,  prioress  of  Sopwell 
nunnery,  and  of  its  patron  saint  Izaak  Walton,  down 
to  the  present  day.  "  Bards  have  sung  its  praises, 
traditions  have  hallowed  it,  and  philosophers  have 
reveled  in  the  gentle  pastime,  since  the  days  of 
Oppian  and  Homer."  Need  we  say  here  for  the 
enlightenment  of  anyone  that  Walton  is  the  immor- 
tal author  of  "  a  discourse  on  fish  and  fishing  not 
unworthy  the  perusal  of  most  anglers,"  the  same 
being,  as  another  famed  angling  writer  aptly  has 
characterized  it,  "  a  conglomeration  of  fertile  mead- 
ows, crystal  brooks,  meandering  streams,  milk-maids' 
songs,  and  moral  reflections,"  which  down  through 
the  years  has  continued  to  "  prove  irresistible." 

Perhaps  the  reader  may  now  be  curious  to  know 
something  of  what  the  good  Dame  Berners  had  to 
say  of  "  fysshynge  ",  in  the  year  1500  A.  D. — 
"Dowteles  thene  folowyth  it,  that  it  must  be  the 
dysporte  of  fysshynge  with  an  angle.  For  all  other 
manere  is  also  laborous,  and  grevous,  whych  many 
tymes  hath  be  seen  cause  of  grete  infirmytes.  But 
the  angler  may  have  no  colde,  nor  no  dysease  nor 
angre,  but  if  he  be  causer  hymself.  For  he  may  not 
lese  at  the  moost  but  a  lyne  or  an  hoke:  of  whych 
he  may  have  store  plentee  of  his  owne  makynge,  as 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  5 

this  symple  treatise  shall  teche  him.  So,  thenne,  his 
losse  is  not  greous,  and  other  greffes  may  he  not 
have,  savynge  but  yf  ony  fisse  breke  away  after  that 
he  is  take  on  the  hoke;  or  elles  that  he  catche  nought; 
which  been  not  greous.  For  yf  he  dooth  as  this 
treatyse  techyth,  but  yf  there  be  nought  in  the  water, 
and  yette  atte  the  leesth  he  hath  holsom  walke  and 
mery,  at  his  ease :  a  swete  ayre  of  the  swete  savours 
of  the  mede  floures,  that  makyth  hym  hungry.  He 
hereth  the  melodyous  armony  of  foules.  He  seeth 
the  yonge  swannes;  heerons;  duckes;  cotes,  and  many 
other  foules  wyth  theyr  brodes;  whyche  me  seemyth 
better  than  alle  of  noyse  of  houndys;  the  Wastes  of 
hornys  and  the  crye  of  foulis  that  hunters,  faukeners 
and  foulers  can  make.  And  yf  the  angler  take 
fysshe:  surely  thenne  is  there  noo  man  merier  than 
he  is  in  his  spyryte." 

In  1919  Emerson  Hough  comments  at  sixty-three: 
"  By  process  of  elimination,  I  have  found  a  great 
many  other  sorts  of  sport  of  late  to  be  too  hard  or 
too  easy  or  too  clean  or  too  dirty.  .  .  .  Indeed,  what 
really  can  equal  the  art  of  the  fly-rod  on  a  good  trout- 
water?  It  is  clean,  it  is  beautiful  beyond  compari- 
son, it  is  difficult  and  yet  alluring.  ...  It  is  danger- 
ous for  a  man  with  a  weak  heart  to  go  trout-fishing, 
for  he  is  liable  to  get  a  case  of  shell-shock  at  any 
time.  You  are  going  down  a  nice,  quiet  stream  and 
you  see  a  dark  corner  over  there  where  a  tree  hangs 
out,  over  a  pool  which  is  as  smooth  as  oil  and  black 


6         THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

as  ink.  You  know  what  is  going  to  happen.  You 
know  you're  going  to  be  scared.  You  feel  that  you 
shall  either  jump  into  the  creek  or  run  for  home 
when  it  does  happen.  It  is  manifestly  impossible 
that  it  should  happen  at  all  —  and  yet  that  terrifying 
thing  does  happen.  There  comes  the  tremendous 
unheralded  flash  into  the  air  of  a  crimson  and  white 
and  orange  creature,  a  terrifying  phantasm,  a  mo- 
ment seen,  then  gone  forever.  Did  you  see  it? 
Why,  yes;  but  you  forgot  all  about  your  rod  and  it 
certainly  must  have  spit  out  the  fly  which  it  took  as 
it  went  down  half  an  hour  ago.  You  stand  and 
tremble,  and  look  in  apprehension  at  the  spot  where 
the  little  wrinkles  still  are  spreading  out  on  the  oily 
ink.  He  might  do  that  again.  It  takes  a  brave 
man  to  go  after  trout." 

It  is  surprising  how  many  notables  amongst  pro- 
fessional workers  and  men  prominent  in  the  larger 
affairs  of  business  and  of  the  State  have  succumbed 
to  the  allurements  of  angling.  Says  Dr.  van  Dyke : 
Perhaps  the  fisherman  whom  you  overtook  on  the 
stream  "  is  a  man  whom  you  have  known  in  town  as 
a  lawyer  or  a  doctor,  a  merchant  or  a  preacher, 
going  about  his  business  in  the  hideous  respectability 
of  a  high  silk-hat  and  a  long  black  coat.  How  good 
it  is  to  see  him  now  in  the  freedom  of  a  flannel  shirt 
and  a  broad-brimmed  grey  felt  with  flies  stuck  around 
the  band.  I  have  had  the  good  luck  to  see  quite  a 
number  of  bishops,  parochial  and  diocesan,  in  that 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  7 

style,  and  the  vision  has  always  dissolved  my  doubts 
in  regard  to  the  validity  of  their  claim  to  the  true 
apostolic  succession." 

The  incurable  piscatorial  proclivities  of  President 
Cleveland  and  of  his  eminent  surgeon  friend  Dr. 
Bryant,  of  Joseph  Jefferson  and  of  Rev.  Dr.  van 
Dyke  himself,  are  matters  of  quite  common  knowl- 
edge; but  there  are  many  guilty  others  not  known 
to  the  populace.  There  was  Sir  Humphry  Davy, 
Admiral  Nelson,  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Patrick  Henry, 
Daniel  Webster,  "  Christopher  North  "  (John  Wil- 
son, Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Edinburgh),  Lord  Tennyson,  Canon  Kings- 
ley,  Audubon  the  naturalist,  James  Russell  Lowell, 
Henry  Ward  Beecher,  President  Harrison,  Bishop 
Potter,  and  James  Whitcomb  Riley;  and  think  you 
that  Thomson,  the  poet  of  The  Seasons,  was  not  a 
fisher?  Davy  tells  in  his  Salmonia  how,  when  the 
Bishop  of  Durham  inquired  of  the  great  Dr.  Paley 
"  when  one  of  his  most  important  works  would  be 
finished,  he  said,  with  great  simplicity  and  good 
humor,  *  My  Lord,  I  shall  work  steadily  at  it  when 
the  fly-fishing  season  is  over.' '  And  this  reminds 
us  that  Canon  Greenwell  died  in  this  same  Durham 
only  a  year  ago  the  eighteenth  of  January,  at  the  ripe 
age  of  ninety-seven  years.  A  famous  English  archae- 
ologist, he  was  known  to  the  angling  world  as  the 
inventor  of  "  Greenwell's  Glory,"  a  salmon  fly  which 
has  carried  his  name  to  rivers  in  all  quarters  of  the 


8         THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

globe.  The  wings  of  this  fly  are  mottled  black  and 
brown,  the  legs  are  made  from  a  red  and  black 
hackle-feather,  and  the  body  is  dark-brown  or  olive 
silk  or  wool  and  ribbed  with  yellow  silk  or  gold 
tinsel. 

Continuing  with  these  later  days,  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  cite  an  example  of  more  capable  versatility 
than  that  exhibited  in  the  life  of  S.  Weir  Mitchell, 
M.  D. —  equally  noted  as  neurologist  and  novelist 
—  and  he  did  not  omit  a  keen  enthusiasm  for  ang- 
ling. There  is  Dr.  Richard  C.  Cabot,  who  is  the 
accomplished  Assistant  Professor  of  Medicine  at 
Harvard  University  and  the  man  responsible  for  the 
modern  Social  Service  hospital  idea,  whose  inspiring 
book,  What  Men  Live  By,  should  be  read  and  re- 
read by  everybody,  angler  or  otherwise;  and  his 
confrere  at  Harvard,  Dr.  James  G.  Mumford,  au- 
thor of  another  charming  volume,  A  Doctor's  Table 
Talk.  The  names  of  the  sculptor  J.  Q.  A.  Ward,  of 
"  our  friend  "  John  Burroughs,  of  Thomas  A.  Edi- 
son, Eugen  Ysaye  the  great  Belgian  violinist,  An- 
drew Lang,  Viscount  Edward  Grey,  our  Secretaries 
of  State  and  of  the  Treasury,  Robert  Lansing  and 
William  G.  McAdoo,  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  Alexander  T.  Vogelsang,  of  Marshal  Joffre, 
and  Sir  Harry  Lauder,  and  of  a  multitude  of  others 
which  time  and  space  alone  forbid  that  we  should 
mention,  come  to  memory;  the  great  surgeon  Mc- 
Burney,  of  appendicitis  fame,  neither  do  we  forget 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  9 

him,  and  at  the  next  instant  our  thoughts  instinctively 
turn  to  Dr.  Robert  T.  Morris,  who  wields  a  pen  as 
keen,  swift,  and  sure  as  his  scalpel,  when  he  isn't 
wielding  the  latter,  growing  nuts,  flora-  or  fauna- 
izing,  or  angling  for  salmon.  As  for  Andrew  Car- 
negie, the  noted  financier  and  philanthropist,  when 
at  the  threshold  of  his  seventies,  upon  returning  from 
a  brief  vacation,  he  is  quoted  as  having  diverted  an 
interviewer  who  sought  to  draw  him  out  concerning 
a  recent  steel  operation  of  magnitude,  by  exclaiming: 
'  What  is  a  matter  of  a  few-million  dollars'  profit 
compared  with  landing  a  ten-pound  pickerel!" 
When  in  his  eighties,  on  July  yth,  1917,  angling  in 
Lake  Mahkeenac  near  Lenox,  Mass.,  he  caught  two 
black  bass,  thirty-four  perch,  and  ten  sunfish,  in  two- 
hours'  time,  declaring  he  never  enjoyed  better  sport 
on  his  favorite  loch  in  Scotland;  and  he  was  fishing 
in  these  same  waters  within  a  few  days  of  his  death, 
in  the  Summer  of  1919. 

The  compilation  of  such  a  list  of  memorable  men, 
of  great  eminence  and  learning,  who  likewise  were 
great  lovers  and  devotees  of  angling,  has  been  pos- 
sible at  almost  any  period  in  the  world's  history. 
From  a  famous  reference  in  Father  "  Iz.  Wa."  we 
will  mention  "  Dr.  Nowel,  sometimes  Dean  of  S. 
Paul's  in  London  (in  which  Church  his  Monument 
stands  yet  undefaced)  a  man  that  in  the  Reforma- 
tion of  Queen  Elizabeth  was  so  noted  for  his  meek 
spirit,  deep  Learning,  Prudence  and  Piety,  that  the 


io       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

then  Parliament  and  Convocation  both,  chose,  in- 
joyned,  and  trusted  him  to  be  the  man  to  make  a 
Catechism  for  publick  use,  such  an  one  as  should 
stand  as  a  rule  for  faith  and  manners  to  their  pos- 
teritie:  And  the  good  old  man  (though  he  was  very 
learned,  yet  knowing  that  God  leads  us  not  to 
Heaven  by  many  nor  by  hard  questions)  like  a  hon- 
est Angler,  made  that  good,  plain,  unperplext  Cate- 
chism, that  is  printed  with  the  old  Service  Book.  I 
say,  this  good  man  was  as  dear  a  lover,  and  a  con- 
stant practicer  of  Angling,  as  any  Age  can  produce; 
and  his  custome  was  to  spend  (besides  his  fixt  hours 
of  prayer,  those  hours  which  by  command  of  the 
Church  were  enjoined  the  old  Clergy,  and  voluntarily 
dedicated  to  devotion  by  many  Primitive  Chris- 
tians:) besides  those  hours,  this  good  man  was  ob- 
served to  spend  a  tenth  part  of  his  time  in  Angling; 
and  also  (for  I  have  conversed  with  those  which 
have  conversed  with  him)  to  bestow  a  tenth  part 
of  his  Revenue,  and  usually  all  his  fish,  amongst  the 
poor  that  inhabited  near  to  those  Rivers  in  which  it 
was  caught,  saying  often,  That  Charity  gave  life  to 
Religion:  and  at  his  return  to  his  House  would 
praise  God  that  he  had  spent  that  day  free  from 
worldly  trouble,  both  harmlesly  and  in  a  Recreation 
that  became  a  Church-man.  And  this  good  man 
was  well  content,  if  not  desirous,  that  Posterity 
should  know  he  was  an  Angler,  as  may  appear  by 
his  Picture,  now  to  be  seen,  and  carefully  kept  in 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  n 

Brazennose  College,  to  which  he  was  a  liberal  Bene- 
factor; in  which  Picture  he  is  drawn  leaning  on  a 
desk  with  his  Bible  before  him,  and  on  one  hand  of 
him  his  Lines,  Hooks,  and  other  Tackling  lying  in  a 
round;  and  on  his  other  hand  are  his  Angle-rods  of 
several  sorts;  and  by  them  this  is  written,  'That 
he  died  13  Feb.  1601,  being  aged  95  years,  44  of 
which  he  had  been  Dean  of  St.  Paul's  Church;  and 
that  his  age  had  neither  impaired  his  hearing,  nor 
dimmed  his  eyes,  nor  weakened  his  memory,  nor 
made  any  of  the  faculties  of  his  mind  weak  or  use- 
less.' 'T  is  said  that  Angling  and  Temperance  were 
great  causes  of  these  blessings,  and  I  wish  the  like 
to  all  that  imitate  him,  and  love  the  memory  of  so 
good  a  man." 

Continues  Walton,  "  My  next  and  last  example 
shall  be  that  undervaluer  of  money,  the  late  Provost 
of  Eton  College,  Sir  Henry  Wotton  (a  man  with 
whom  I  have  often  fish'd  and  convers'd)  a  man 
whose  foraign  imployments  in  the  service  of  this 
Nation,  and  whose  experience,  learning,  wit,  and 
cheerfulness,  made  his  company  to  be  esteemed  one 
of  the  delights  of  mankind;  this  man,  whose  very 
approbation  of  Angling  were  sufficient  to  convince 
any  modest  Censurer  of  it,  was  also  a  most  dear 
lover,  and  a  frequent  practicer  of  the  Art  of  Ang- 
ling; of  which  he  would  say,  '  'T  was  an  imployment 
for  his  idle  time,  which  was  not  idly  spent;'  for  Ang- 
ling was  after  tedious  study,  '  A  rest  to  his  mind,  a 


12       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

cheerer  of  his  spirits,  a  diverter  of  sadness,  a  calmer 
of  unquiet  thoughts,  a  Moderator  of  passions,  a 
procurer  of  contentedness,  and  that  it  begat  habits 
of  peace  and  patience  in  those  that  profest  and 
practic'd  it.' 

"  Sir,  this  was  the  saying  of  that  Learned  man; 
and  I  do  easily  believe  that  peace,  and  patience,  and 
a  calm  content  did  cohabit  in  the  cheerful  heart  of 
Sir  Henry  Wotton,  because  I  know  that  when  he  was 
beyond  seventy  years  of  age,  he  made  this  descrip- 
tion of  a  part  of  the  present  pleasure  that  possest 
him,  as  he  sat  quietly  in  a  Summer's  evening  on  a 
bank  a  fishing;  it  is  a  description  of  the  Spring, 
which  because  it  glided  as  soft  and  sweetly  from  his 
pen,  as  that  River  does  now  by  which  it  was  then 
made,  I  shall  repeat  it  unto  you: 

"This  day  dame  Nature  seem'd  in  love; 

The  lustie  sap  began  to  move; 

Fresh  juice  did  stir  th'  imbracing  Vines, 

And  birds  had  drawn  their  Valentines, 

The  jealous   Trout,  that  low  did  lye, 

Rose  at  a  well  dissembled  flie ; 

There  stood  my  friend   with  patient  skill, 

Attending  of  his  trembling  quil. 

Already  were  the  eaves  possest 

With  the  swift  Pilgrim's  dawbed  nest: 

The  Groves  already  did  rejoice, 

In  Philomel's  triumphing  voice: 

The  showers  were  short,  the  weather  mild, 

The  morning  fresh,  the  evening  smil'd. 

Joan  takes  her  neat  rub'd  pail,  and  now 

She  trips  to  milk  the  sand-red  Cow; 

Where,  for  some  sturdy  foot-ball  Swain, 

Joan  strokes  a  Sillibub  or  twaine; 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  13 

The  fields  and  gardens  were  beset 
With  Tulips,  Crocus,  Violet, 
And  now,  though  late,  the  modest  Rose 
Did  more  than  half  a  blush  disclose. 
Thus  all  looks  gay,  and  full  of  cheat 
To  welcome  the  new  liveryM  year." 

Would  you  go  "  a-angling "  then,  thou  sedate 
and  solid  citizen,  be  last  of  all  restrained  because  of 
the  company  you  will  keep.  Do  you  not  recall  about 
that  historical  fishers'  lunch  around  the  little  camp- 
fire  by  the  waterside? —  "  Peter  saith,  ...  I  go  a 
fishing.  They  say,  .  .  .  We  also  go  with  thee. 
.  .  .  Jesus  stood  on  the  shore.  .  .  .  Then  Jesus 
saith  unto  them,  Children,  have  ye  any  meat?  They 
answered  him,  No.  And  he  said,  .  .  .  Cast  the  net 
on  the  right  side  of  the  ship,  and  ye  shall  find.  .  .  . 
As  soon  as  they  were  come  to  land,  they  saw  a  fire 
of  coals  there,  and  fish  laid  thereon,  and  bread. 
Jesus  saith,  .  .  .  Bring  of  the  fish  which  ye  have 
now  caught.  .  .  .  Come  and  dine.  Jesus  then 
cometh,  and  taketh  bread,  and  giveth  them,  and  fish 
likewise."  If,  now,  your  conservatism  still  shies  at 
"  new-fangled  frivolities,"  read  in  the  nineteenth 
chapter  of  Isaiah  about  "  all  they  that  cast  angle 
into  the  brooks;"  in  the  book  of  Job,  where  the  Lord 
asked  him,  "  Canst  thou  take  out  a  fish  with  the 
hook?  "  or  in  the  first  chapter  of  Habakkuk,  how 
"  they  take  up  all  of  them  with  the  angle." 

Perhaps  the  sustained  interest  of  such  men  as 
those  referred  to  is  not  so  surprising  either,  when 


H       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

we  consider  the  opportunities  that  angling  affords  of 
intimate,  leisurely  enjoyment  of  Nature  in  her  most 
beguiling  moods  and  with  the  added  zest  of  agree- 
able companionship;  for  anglers  are  admittedly  a 
quiet,  considerate,  genial,  and  gentle  craft. 

The  pastime  does  indeed  supply  a  most  happy  and 
inspiring  change  of  activities  from  the  usual  more  or 
less  sedentary  occupations  of  its  most  ardent  vota- 
ries, its  varied  technic  with  the  combination  of  open- 
air  life,  not  too  fatiguing  exercise,  and  the  complete 
change  of  environment  being  subtly  efficacious  for 
the  solacement  of  nerves  jangled  and  out  of  tune 
and  for  the  revivifying  of  the  whole  man  —  or 
woman.  Physicians  have  reason  a-plenty  keenly  to 
realize  that  a  warped  mentality  or  a  sick  soul  pre- 
sents an  infinitely  more  serious  problem  than  does  a 
disordered  body.  I  have  now  in  mind  one  who  but 
a  few  short  months  ago  was  the  personification  of 
ambition  and  will  power,  and  who  at  the  present  time 
is  a  pitiable  example  of  a  strong  man  bereft  of  con- 
fidence and  groping  and  shrinking  in  the  grip  of  par- 
alyzing fears.  By  what  means  should  men  strive  to 
forestall  such  a  calamity?  and  how  are  they  to  be 
helped  out  of  such  a  Slough  of  Despond?  Dr.  Rich- 
ard C.  Cabot  says  that  what  the  blind,  the  worried, 
the  invalid,  the  discouraged,  the  convalescent,  the 
neurasthenic,  the  drug-victim  —  what  the  whole 
world  needs  both  to  keep  well  people  well  and  for 
the  restoration  of  the  sick,  is  vitality  and  resisting 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  15 

power.  "  As  contradistinguished  from  the  hot- 
house care  of  sanitaria,  we  are  realizing  more  and 
more  that  the  sufferer  must  be  encouraged  to  get 
back  into  real  life,  which  is  the  best  of  all  teachers 
and  doctors.  Nothing  less  fruitful  will  nourish  body 
and  soul." 

"  Real  life  "  he  defines  as  more  satisfying  and  in- 
teresting occupation,  more  recreation  or  refreshment 
through  art,  play,  or  natural  beauty,  deeper  and  more 
intensive  affection;  and  if  a  fourth  resource,  wor- 
ship, gets  into  life,  so  much  the  better,  though  it  has 
become  today  so  unfashionable  a  habit  that  one 
must  be  prepared  to  shock  the  modern  ear  and  to 
violate  all  the  scientific  proprieties  if  one  confesses 
to  a  belief  in  it.  The  interplay  of  these  four  inex- 
orable blessings  —  responsibility,  recreation,  affec- 
tion, and  through  them  a  glimpse  of  God  —  is  the 
end  of  life,  and  the  sole  worthy  end  in  my  creed, 
says  he;  and  continues: 

'  I  came  to  the  belief  first  from  a  doctor's  point  of 
view  and  as  a  result  of  a  search  for  the  essential  prin- 
ciples of  healing  within  a  special  field.  This  is  the 
end  of  all  education,  all  moral  training,  the  food  of 
the  soul  in  health  or  in  disease,  needed  by  all,  to 
feed  our  own  souls  as  well  as  to  cure  and  to  prevent 
social  ills.  This  is  the  vital  nourishment  without 
which  all  material  relief  soon  becomes  a  farce  or  a 
poison,  just  as  medicine  in  most  chronic  diseases  is  a 
farce  or  a  poison.  Every  human  being,  man, 


16       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

woman,  and  child,  hero  and  convict,  neurasthenic  and 
deep-sea  fisherman,  needs  the  blessing  of  God 
through  these  four  gifts.  It  is  not  often,  I  believe, 
that  a  whole  life  is  possessed  by  any  one  of  the  ele- 
ments of  play,  work,  or  drudgery.  Work  usually 
makes  up  the  larger  part  of  life,  with  play  and 
drudgery  sprinkled  in.  I  have  rarely  seen  drudgery 
so  overwhelming  as  to  crush  out  altogether  the  play 
of  humor  and  good-fellowship  during  the  day's  toil 
as  well  as  after  it.' 

So  this  book  has  particularly  to  do  with  refresh- 
ment through  the  play  that  is  "  sprinkled  in," 
through  the  contact  with  art  —  since  the  building 
of  a  bamboo  fly-rod  and  the  skilled  use  thereof  both 
are  arts  —  and  with  the  beauty  of  nature  and  its  in- 
centive to  truest  worship  of  God;  and  all  of  this  nat- 
urally enough  is  of  interest  to  the  medical-man  from 
the  viewpoints  both  of  outdoor  recreation  and  of 
indoor  handicraft. 

In  some  way,  and  at  stated  intervals,  all  of  us 
should  divert  from  our  routine  work,  and  do  some- 
thing spontaneously  —  whole-heartedly,  with  the 
zest  and  abandonment  of  the  boy  we  used  to  be,  and 
still  should  be  on  occasion.  For 

"  He  that  works,  then  runs  away, 
Will  live  to  work  another  day." 

Very  few  of  us  indeed  are  so  placed  as  never  to  find 
it  possible  either  to  "  break  out "  or  to  "  break 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  17 

away  ";  none  incessantly  so  situated  as  was  that  un- 
known ancient  and  most  unfortunate  author  of  this 
pathetic  pair  of  couplets: 

See  I   a   dog?   there  's   ne'er  a  stone  to  throw! 
Or  stone?  there  's  ne'er  a  dog  to  hit  I  trow! 
Or  if  at  once  both  stone  and  dog  I  view  — 
It  is  the  king's  dog!     Damn!     What  can  I  do? 

Says  Dr.  A.  T.  Bristow  in  The  World's  Work 
magazine,  "  The  man  who  wishes  to  secure  the  best 
re§ults  from  the  days  which  he  spends  in  search  of 
rest  and  renewed  vigor,  will  not  seek  the  artificial 
life  of  our  great  hotels  with  all  the  attendant  ex- 
citement, false  standards  of  living,  and  a  table  which 
is  an  invitation  to  gluttony.  So  we  in  our  struggle 
with  the  gigantic  forces  which  make  up  modern  civil- 
ization must  return  to  nature  for  refreshment  and 
renewed  strength.  The  forest,  the  mountains,  and 
the  streams  hide  the  elixir  of  life.  We  need  to  get 
away  from  the  crowds,  from  idle  gossip,  from  the 
trivial  observances  of  society,  the  fetters  of  custom. 
There  is  no  rest  like  that  which  is  hid  for  the  weary 
within  the  shady  recesses  of  the  great  woods,  and 
camp  life  is  far  preferable  to  that  counterfeit  of 
camp  life,  a  hotel  in  the  mountains.  You  can  sleep 
as  soundly  in  a  bark  camp  on  a  thick  bed  of  balsam 
as  on  the  softest  mattress  in  a  hotel  bedroom.  A 
tramp  through  the  woods  is  what  you  need  for  mind 
and  body.  The  fatigue  will  bring  to  your  tired  eyes 
sleep  far  more  refreshing  than  the  stuporous  slumber 


i8       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

you  have  experienced  in  a  hotel,  superinduced  by  late 
hours  and  the  plethora  of  over-eating  without  suffi- 
cient exercise. 

"  Remember  that  there  is  no  better  exercise  for 
anyone  than  walking.  It  gives  the  rambler  time  to 
learn  needed  lessons  from  nature,  and  it  is  free  from 
the  excitement  of  high  speed,  which  is  the  very  thing 
that  a  vacation  should  avoid.  The  man  who  hurls 
himself  through  space  in  a  high-powered  automobile 
is  not  resting.  He  simply  is  substituting  one  form 
of  mental  stimulation  for  another.  He  is  like  those 
unfortunate  victims  of  the  drug  habit  who  go  from 
morphine  to  cocaine  and  from  both  to  whisky. 
Their  diseased  nerves  crave  some  sort  of  artificial 
stimulus.  So  it  often  is  with  our  business-men  in 
their  '  relaxations.' 

"  What  these  men  need  is  the  repose  of  the  woods, 
the  calmness  of  spirit  that  comes  to  the  tired  mind 
only  amidst  mountain  solitudes.  To  invite  a  man 
of  active  mind  to  a  ramble  through  the  forest  with- 
out an  incentive  is,  however,  almost  as  bad  as  to  ad- 
vise him  to  saw  wood  for  exercise.  Such  an  occu- 
pation affords  exercise,  but  it  is  a  nauseous  dose 
which  is  too  often  taken  submissively  if  not  with 
cheerfulness.  There  is  no  better  motive  for  the 
forest  wanderer,  whether  his  paths  be  by  mountain 
stream  or  highland  tarn,  than  the  time-honored  sport 
of  good  old  Izaak  Walton.  Go  a-fishing. 

4  The  angler's  art  is  but  a  pretext  or  rather  the 


COPYRIGHT  BY  THE  CENTURY  CO. 

"ITS  PATRON  SAINT  IZAAK  WALTON" 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  19 

incentive  to  a  ramble,  and  not  the  sole  object  of  the 
fisherman,  unless,  alas!  he  belongs  to  that  too  com- 
mon variety,  the  man  whose  sole  object  is  his  catch. 
Such  a  man  fishes  always  with  a  worm,  hides  finger- 
lings  in  the  depth  of  his  basket,  and  photographs  his 
catch  as  a  witness  to  his  crimes.  He  is  not  a  fisher- 
man but  a  butcher.  A  yellow  primrose  on  the  river's 
brim  is  to  him  a  primrose  and  nothing  more.  The 
true  fisherman  loves  to  catch  fish,  to  match  his  wits 
against  the  wary  trout,  but  as  he  wanders  from  pool 
to  pool  the  songs  of  the  birds  greet  him  restfully; 
every  turn  in  the  stream  reveals  a  nook  in  which 
strange  wild  flowers  nestle.  The  gentle  excitement 
of  the  sport  prevents  the  scene  from  becoming 
monotonous.  The  element  of  chance,  the  uncer- 
tainty of  the  catch,  adds  the  drop  of  tabasco  sauce 
which  gives  zest  to  the  day.  And  the  noontide  meal 
by  the  brink  of  the  stream!  When  did  a  meal  have 
a  more  delightful  flavor?  Delmonico  never  served 
a  trout  like  unto  those  we  have  eaten  by  the  banks 
of  a  mountain  brook  with  the  clear  blue  sky  above, 
the  waving  forest  round  about  and  the  murmuring 
stream  at  our  feet.  The  hour  of  contemplation 
comes  afterward  with  the  pipe  of  peace  in  our  hand 
instead  of  the  relinquished  rod.  How  far  off  the 
city  seems !  Are  there  such  things  as  corporations, 
trusts,  stocks,  bonds;  electric  lights  that  amaze  the 
sight,  harsh  warnings  of  trolley  gongs,  the  rumble 
and  grind  of  the  wheels  and  the  brakes  on  the  ele- 


20       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

vated  road  which  affright  the  ear?  The  harshest 
note  that  breaks  the  stillness  here  is  the  boom  of  the 
bittern  in  the  distant  marsh.  Home  to  camp  the 
fisherman  goes,  taking  a  cast  in  this  silent  pool  in 
which  the  trout  rose  in  the  forenoon  to  his  cast  but 
missed  the  fly,  or  in  that  dark  hole  deep  under  the 
bank  in  which  a  vigilant  eye  may  detect  the  brown 
sides  of  a  trout  with  lazily  waving  fins  and  tail  — 
an  old  campaigner  not  easily  caught. 

"  So  the  shades  of  evening  find  the  ramble  ended, 
and  no  harsher  beams  than  the  soft  radiance  of  the 
stars  or  the  gentle  spark  of  the  fireflies  and  the  glow- 
worm light  the  wayfarer  to  his  repose. 

"  There  are  other  incentives  which  are  able  to 
make  the  haunts  of  wild  things  attractive.  To  a 
man  who  has  walked  through  the  woods  for  exercise 
much  as  he  would  saw  wood  by  a  woodpile,  a  walk 
through  the  tangled  paths  with  a  naturalist  is  both 
an  astonishment  and  a  revelation.  A  few  years  ago 
popular  works  on  nature-study  were  things  un- 
known. The  only  means  of  information  for  the 
inquiring  amateur  were  purely  technical;  works  such 
as  Gray's  Botany,  to  a  beginner  as  uninteresting  and 
difficult  as  a  work  on  differential  calculus.  Now  there 
are  whole  libraries  of  books  which  are  both  interest- 
ing, popular  and  true  to  the  scientific  facts.2  There 

2  The  interested  reader  will  do  well  to  investigate  the  very  inexpensive 
Chester  A.  Reed  flower  and  bird  pocket-guides,  illustrated  in  color;  Mrs. 
Dana's  How  to  Know  the  Wild  Flowers,  and  How  to  Know  the  Ferns; 
the  Chapman  bird  books;  Collins  and  Preston's  Key  to  the  Trees;  Julia 
Ellen  Roger's  Tree  Guide;  Keeler's  Our  Native  Trees;  F.  Schuyler  Mathews* 


O 
2 

HH 

E 
H 


§ 
p 

Z 

D 
< 

E 


E 
H 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  21 

are  fifty-seven  species  of  fern  described  in  one  book, 
and  of  these  the  writer  collected  twenty-two  during 
a  three-weeks'  stay  in  the  Adirondacks.  Some  were 
found  half  way  up  Catamount,  some  on  the  slopes 
of  Whiteface,  one  or  two  on  the  face  of  cliffs  over- 
looking Wilmington.  The  memories  of  that  Sum- 
mer are  delightful,  and  as  we  look  over  the  specimens 
we  gathered  in  those  wanderings,  my  wife  and  I,  the 
scenes  come  back  to  us  and  we  live  those  delectable 
days  again." 

A  long  quotation,  this,  but  we  freely  admit  that 
we  could  not  have  said  it  so  well  as  has  Dr.  Bristow. 
We  are  of  those  unafraid  of  quotations,  and  now 
invite  the  reader  to  attend  to  this  selection  from 
Edwin  Sandys,  borrowed  from  the  same  source  as 
the  foregoing.  "  Fishing  leads  its  devotee  into 
pleasant  places,  and  because  the  true  angler  needs 
must  also  be  part  poet,  such  ears,  perhaps,  best  hear 
the  sermon  of  streams  and  stones.  There  are  no 
cleaner  things  than  pure  air  and  water,  and  did  fish- 
ing offer  no  more  than  these  it  would  be  entitled  to 
consideration.  But  it  does  much  more,  for  of  it 
might  truly  be  said:  Its  ways  are  pleasant;  its 
paths  are  peaceful  —  which  means  much. 

"  The  more  important  fishes  of  our  fresh  waters, 
grouped  according  to  habitat,  include  the  salmon, 
trout,  ouananiche,  and  the  grayling,  of  rapid  rivers 
and  brooks  and  cold  lakes  of  the  rock-bound  regions; 

various  field  books;  etc.  Of  course  he  already  has  made  the  acquaintance 
of  John  Burroughs. 


22       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

the  black,  the  rock  and  other  basses  and  the  perch 
of  streams  and  lakes  other  than  typical  trout  waters; 
the  maskinonge  and  pike  of  the  Great  Lakes  and 
their  tributaries,  and  the  various  pickerel  and  the 
wall-eyed  pike  common  to  weedy  waters  of  a  great 
extent  of  the  country. 

"  Of  the  salmon  and  its  fishing  it  is  unnecessary 
to  speak  at  length.  Very  few  of  the  salmon  rivers 
of  the  East  are  open  to  the  fishing  public,  and  only 
a  specialist  with  the  two-handed  tackle  is  likely  to 
attempt  the  capture  of  the  king  of  game-fish.  The 
ouananiche,  too,  is  not  a  fish  for  the  masses.  It  is 
a  game  fighter,  and  at  certain  times  a  free  riser,  but 
it  is  found  in  but  a  few  of  the  Northern  waters. 
Its  stronghold  is  Lake  St.  John,  that  Mecca  of  the 
sportsman  northward  bound  from  Quebec  City.  In 
Lake  St.  John  and  its  tributary  rivers,  but  especially 
at  the  lake's  outlet,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the 
famous  Saguenay  River,  is  the  stronghold  of  the 
high-leaping  ouananiche,  and  there  the  acrobatic 
small  salmon  has  been  taken  by  many  a  tourist- 
angler.  And  there  are  other  salmon.  Some  of  the 
waters  of  the  Far  West  at  certain  seasons  are  visited 
by  countless  salmon  of  allied  yet  distinct  species,  and 
many  a  fine  fish,  though  inferior  to  the  Atlantic  spe- 
cies, falls  victim  to  the  common  trolling-spoon  and 
other  devices. 

"  Beyond  question  the  most  popular  of  our  game- 
fish  is  that  spangled  aristocrat  of  the  hurrying 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  23 

stream,  the  brook-trout.  In  addition  to  his  beauty 
and  palatableness,  there  is  a  dash  and  go  about  his 
method  which  strongly  appeals  to  those  who  like 
rapid  action  in  their  sport  —  and  who  does  not? 
Furthermore,  the  typical  trout  water  is  in  itself  a 
most  beautiful  thing.  Be  the  region  plain  or  pictur- 
esque, the  trout  stream  surely  travels  the  most  attrac- 
tive part  of  it.  Follow  its  musical  bickering  down  a 
valley  and  you  will  be  led  through  one  of  Nature's 
picture  galleries,  with  choice  bits  arranged  in  marvel- 
ous profusion  upon  either  side.  Glorious  greenery, 
lichened  rock,  grim  cliff,  echoing  vault,  thunder- 
voiced  fall,  bubble-spangled  ripple  and  mystic,  velvet- 
shadowed  pool  follow  in  endless  succession.  And 
with  it  all  the  silver  song  of  merry  waters,  perhaps 
chording  true  at  shadowtime  with  the  contralto  of 
the  thrushes.  And  so  you  lose  yourself  in  the  en- 
chanted cavern  of  green. 

'  There  is  nothing  evil  to  be  found  in  all  our  hun- 
dreds of  miles  of  trout  waters.  Only  the  celestial 
pavement  itself  is  cleaner  than  the  pure,  sweet  water, 
forever  washing  its  bed  and  bounds  and  forever  sing- 
ing o'er  its  wholesome  task.  A  trout  stream  is  a 
good  place  for  most  folks  to  be.  And  we  have  an 
abundance  of  streams  —  for,  broadly  speaking,  a 
rock  country  is  a  trout  country.  To  remove  the 
trout  country  from  this  continent  would  be  to  render 
it  unrecognizable.  There  would  remain  prairies, 
marshlands,  the  regions  of  sluggish  streams  and 


24       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

placid  ponds.  The  best  of  the  easily  reached  free 
fishing  is  to  be  enjoyed  upon  the  hill  streams  of  the 
Adirondacks,  Pennsylvania,  and  Connecticut.  If 
you  go  farther  there  are  still  within  reasonable  dis- 
tance the  famous  waters  of  the  Rangeley  and  Moose- 
head  systems  of  Maine,  the  Megantic  waters  of  Que- 
bec, the  wilds  of  New  Brunswick,  the  marvelous 
silver  net  of  the  North  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
of  Northern  Ontario,  which  extends  to  the  newly 
exploited  region  of  the  upper  Ottawa  and  to  that 
stronghold  of  big  trout,  the  North  shore  of  Lake 
Superior.  All  of  these  regions,  both  American  and 
Canadian,  are  comfortably  accessible  by  rail,  and  no 
railroad  worthy  of  the  name  fails  to  pay  strict  atten- 
tion to  the  comfort  of  anglers. 

"  I  have  fished  in  every  one  of  the  extensive  re- 
gions named,  and  the  average  angler  may  visit  any 
one  of  them  with  a  certainty  of  enjoying  fair  fun 
and  an  excellent  chance  of  extraordinary  sport. 
Were  the  purse,  leisure,  and  experience,  or  lack  of  it, 
of  every  reader  known,  it  would  be  a  comparatively 
easy  task  to  name  one  particular  water  which  would 
be  almost  certain  to  meet  the  requirements;  but 
lacking  full  knowledge  of  individual  desires,  any 
attempt  at  the  role  of  guide-post  would  be  absurd. 
But  the  individual  can  get  helpful,  because  as  a  whole 
reliable,  information  by  securing  a  sporting  guide- 
book of  a  rail-road  traversing  the  preferred  coun- 
try. Because  I  have  written  some  of  them  and  read 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  25 

the  others  I  know  they  are  not  dangerously  enthu- 
siastic, especially  over  the  more  remote  waters. 
In  fact,  not  a  few  of  them  actually  fail  to  do  full 
justice  to  the  regions  they  refer  to.  The  pen  of  a 
wizard  of  word-painting  could  not  overdraw  the 
beauties  of  at  least  four-fifths  of  our  trout  waters, 
which  will,  under  ordinary  conditions,  yield  all  the 
fish  that  clean  sportsmanship  can  demand." 

Very  true,  Mr.  Sandys  —  and  also  true  that  good 
sport,  if  not  the  most  exciting,  may  be  reached  from 
most  of  the  humble  homes  of  the  land,  within  a  rea- 
sonable journey  for  the  ubiquitous  Ford,  the  motor- 
cycle, bicycle,  trolley-car,  or  even  shanks'  mare. 
There  are  the  Sullivan  County  and  other  Catskill 
streams  of  New  York,  streams  of  the  White  Moun- 
tain region  in  New  Hampshire,  streams  in  Vermont, 
New  Jersey,  and  in  Massachusetts.  We  have  seen  a 
dozen  native  trout  creeled  legitimately  in  August, 
only  three  days  before  the  close  of  the  season,  from 
public  water  not  fifteen  miles  out  of  New  York  City. 
And  almost  any  pond  will  yield  either  bass,  pickerel, 
or  such  very  acceptable  pan-fish  as  perch,  rock-bass, 
or  "  sunnies." 

With  a  similar  charming  felicity  have  many  other 
writers  depicted  the  joys  of  angling.  Of  the  numer- 
ous pleasures  that  are  closely  connected  with  its  pur- 
suit — "  its  accompaniments  and  variations,  which 
run  along  with  the  tune  and  weave  an  embroidery  of 
delight  around  it,"  to  borrow  a  fragment  of  Dr.  van 


26       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

Dyke's  plenitude  of  happy  phraseology  —  the  inti- 
mate study  of  stream  insect-life  and  the  pretty  art 
of  the  tying  of  artificial  flies  in  imitation  of  these 
ephemera,  in  particular,  constitute  a  very  soul-satis- 
fying diversion  and  accomplishment.  But  having 
already  discussed  this  elsewhere,  it  is  the  writer's 
present  paramount  purpose  to  enlighten  those  who 
would  add  to  their  accustomed  enjoyment  of  the 
sport  the  pleasures  of  craftsmanship  involved  in  the 
construction  of  the  angler's  chief  implement  of  his 
art,  that  magic  wand,  his  rod. 

When  touching  upon  this  phase  of  the  subject  even 
a  professional  rod-maker  needs  must  lean  to  poesy 
in  order  to  explain  adequately  why  the  rod  plays  the 
most  important  part  in  the  angler's  equipment,  as 
witness  this  extract  from  a  trade  catalog:  "  Its  de- 
velopment to  the  present  state  of  perfection  has 
heightened  the  enjoyment  of  the  sport  to  a  degree 
far  beyond  any  that  was  attainable  by  the  angler  of 
the  olden  time.  The  ecstatic  period  of  supreme  sen- 
sation which  is  peculiarly  the  angler's  inspiration  and 
delight  was  formerly  of  short  duration,  and  often 
with  inglorious  ending.  Not  so  today,  for  the  mod- 
ern rod  has  made  it  possible  for  the  entrancing  thrill 
that  comes  to  him  through  the  titillation  of  the  elbow 
by  the  vibratory  connection  of  his  hand  and  arm  with 
a  gamy  fish  at  the  other  end  of  a  rod  and  line,  to  be 
long  drawn  out,  with  intensely  stimulating  variations, 
in  a  contest  calling  into  play  the  highest  qualities  of 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  27 

manly  sportsmanship,  and  in  which  both  victor  and 
vanquished  may  fairly  be  credited  with  honors  nobly 
won."  Is  any  further  assurance  needed  that  this 
man  makes  good  rods?  Anyway,  we  will  say  right 
here  that  he  does  —  beauties. 

The  acme  of  perfection  in  angling-rods  — "  the 
rod  fine-tempered  with  elastic  spring  " —  is  realized 
only  in  one  built  properly  of  six  strips  of  split  bam- 
boo. In  the  maximum  combination  of  the  qualities 
of  resiliency,  balance,  and  lightness  with  power, 
quickness,  and  smoothness  or  sweetness  of  action, 
such  an  one  is  unsurpassed;  and  the  split-bamboo  rod 
of  the  best  American  manufacture  has  no  superior 
the  world  over.  In  making  this  statement  we  are 
not  heedless  of  the  improvements  upon  this  standard 
model  that  have  been  attempted,  principally  by  our 
English  cousins  across  the  big  pond.  Various  pain- 
fully ingenious  combinations  have  been  achieved,  of 
bamboo  without  and  steel  core  within,  steel  core 
within  and  braided  steel,  copper,  or  bronze  ribbands 
outside,  split  cane  inside  and  whole  cane  outside,  and 
all  sorts  of  other  arrangements,  in  eight  strips  of 
cane,  in  nine  strips,  built  double  in  twelve,  sixteen, 
or  eighteen  strips  —  modifications  leading  all  the 
way  up  —  or  down  —  to  the  rolled  tubular  whole- 
steel  rod  of  American  make.  Most  of  these  varia- 
tions are  possible  only  for  the  butt-  and  middle- 
joints  of  a  rod,  the  top-joint  or  top  —  or  as  Ameri- 
can anglers  say  less  explicitly,  the  tip  —  being  gen- 


28       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

erally  of  clear  bamboo.  The  British  manufacturer 
has  a  penchant  also  for  combining  different  woods 
in  individual  rods,  as  a  greenheart  butt-  and  second- 
joint  with  a  bamboo  top,  or  an  ash  or  hickory  butt 
with  greenheart  and  bamboo  for  the  other  sections. 

But  of  any  of  these  mongrels  we  will  have  naught; 
as  for  us  we  pin  our  faith  and  fealty  to  the  silk- 
wound  hexagonal  rod  cunningly  yet  simply  devised 
of  its  six  subtle,  individual  triangular  strips  of  cane 
throughout,  and  we  can  but  view  with  compassion 
that  angler  who  suffers  a  permanent  perverted  at- 
tachment to  some  one  or  other  of  the  monstrosities 
mentioned  above. 

The  making  of  a  split-bamboo  rod  is  readily 
within  the  accomplishment  of  anyone  who  can  handle 
a  few  of  the  simpler  carpenters'-tools,  with  patience 
—  and  your  true  angler  already  has  this  quality  well 
developed.  A  little  time,  a  little  absorbingly  in- 
teresting work,  a  small  outlay  for  rod  fittings  or 
mountings,  and  forty-cents'  worth  of  bamboo  in  the 
rough  is  transformed  into  the  most  beautiful  of  all 
sporting  implements,  that  the  owner  could  not  have 
duplicated  by  a  professional  rod-maker  for  forty 
dollars.  A  knife,  a  small  plane,  and  a  file  are  the 
principal  necessary  cutting  tools,  and  with  two  or 
three  simple  contrivances,  and  one  all-important  de- 
vice, these  cover  the  essential  instruments. 

Almost  any  manual  labor,  especially  if  diverting 
and  concentrating  the  attention  into  novel  paths,  is 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  29 

balm  for  the  jaded  or  worried  mind.  This  work  is 
light  and  innately  fascinating.  How  it  would  have 
been  welcomed  by  many  persons  whom  the  writer 
has  known,  while  monotonously  convalescent  from 
exasperating  illness  or  accident;  how  it  would  have 
sweetened  and  shortened  the  days  and  have  proven 
hypnotic  at  night  for  many  a  weary  traveler  along 
the  road  to  restored  bodily  health  and  mental  se- 
renity. Patients  often  read  and  read  during  a 
forced  period  of  shutting-in  until  they  can't  read  any 
longer,  and  don't  know  what  in  the  world  next  to 
do  to  alleviate  the  tedium  of  the  dragging  hours  and 
days.  We  escaped  this  experience  during  an  eight- 
weeks'  quarantine  for  scarlet  fever,  in  beguiling 
many  an  hour  by  winding  rod-joints  with  silk,  satis- 
fied that  the  subsequent  coats  of  varnish  preceded 
by  an  alcohol  bath  would  prove  effectively  disin- 
fectant. It  was  during  this  incarceration  that  first 
we  learned  of  the  virtues  of  pinochle;  and  the  feel- 
ing nightly  adieu  of  our  teacher  Jones,  repeated  each 
day  with  increasing  unction,  comes  back  to  us  as  we 
write  these  words  —  the  place  was  the  City  Hos- 
pital :  "  Thank  God !  one  more  day  less  in  the  pest- 
house." 

Not  only  is  the  angler's  sport,  like  any  other, 
greatly  enhanced  by  the  employment  of  implements 
of  his  own  creation,  but  the  very  making  of  a  rod  is 
an  idyl  in  craftsmanship,  furnishing  a  recreation 
salutary  and  delightful  in  itself  during  the  wintry 


30       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

days  which  debar  actual  but  not  anticipatory  enjoy- 
ment of  limpid  lakes,  quiet  woodland  trails,  inspiring 
mountain  heights,  merry  brooks,  and  companionable 
little  rivers. 

After  experiencing  for  many  years  the  pleasures 
to  be  derived  from  the  possession  of  this  handi- 
craft, and  having  gained  from  that  experience,  in- 
cluding conference  with  brother  anglers  addicted  to 
the  same  avocation,  the  most  vital  parts  of  what  he 
knows  about  the  subject,  it  becomes  an  added  pleas- 
ure for  the  writer  to  pass  the  knowledge  along  to 
yet  other  Waltonians,  who  hitherto  have  missed 
this  culminating  enjoyment  of  their  favorite  sport. 
Thus,  as  truly  as  did  "  Piscator  "  in  the  writing  of 
his  immortal  pastoral,  the  present  author  likewise 
has  "made  a  recreation  of  a  recreation";  and  too 
has  endeavored,  despite  its  technical  character,  to 
have  his  text  "  not  to  read  dully  and  tediously." 

The  reader  is  assured  at  the  outset  that  by  care- 
ful attention  to  and  the  following  out  of  the  very  ex- 
plicit directions  contained  in  the  chapters  immedi- 
ately following,  he  can  construct  not  merely  a  pass- 
ably-good split-bamboo  rod,  but  a  high-grade  article 
that  any  expert  angler  would  be  glad  to  own  —  a 
rod  that  will  have  balance,  action,  finish,  and  dis- 
tinction, and  the  possession  of  which  will  give  infinite 
satisfaction  to  its  creator.  Admittedly,  the  process 
involves  some  manipulations  of  delicacy  but  none  of 
discouraging  difficulty,  as  all  there  is  to  it  may  be 


"QUIET  WOODLAND  TRAILS 
(An  Adirondack  carry) 


THE  JOYS  OF  ANGLING  31 

summed  up  in  careful  attention  to  a  number  of  de- 
tails in  their  proper  sequence  and  not  one  of  which 
truly  is  difficult  in  itself  —  and  what  could  be  better 
exercise  for  youth  ?  for  the  same  constitutes  the  suc- 
cessful conduct  of  life.  From  the  standpoint  of 
commercial  manufacture,  while  some  of  the  ways 
and  means  which  will  be  elucidated  might  provoke 
a  smile  from  the  professional  rod-maker  —  and  we 
will  not  say  without  justification  —  nevertheless  they 
will  be  found  fully  efficient  for  the  production  of  one 
or  two  to  a  dozen  or  more  rods  for  the  personal 
equipment  of  the  amateur  angler,  to  whom  our  re- 
marks are  addressed.  So  — 

Here's   to  the   swish   of   the   Split-Bamboo !  — 

Flitting  my  flies  o'er  riffle  and  pool, 
Bidding  all  grown-up  cares  adieu, 

Back   again   coming  to   Nature's   school, 
May  the  wind  blow  soft,  my  cast  light  true, 

As  Fontinalis  I  try  to  fool, 
And  my  creel  have  received  its  due 

When  come  the  shades  of  evening  cool. — 
Here's  to  the  swish  of  the  Split-Bamboo !  — 
Musical  swish  of  my  own  bamboo. 


ROD-MAKING: 
BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL 


CHAPTER  II 

ROD-MAKING: 
BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL 

The  material  of  which  split-bamboo  angling-rods 
of  quality  are  made  is  not  derived  from  our  Ameri- 
can Southern  species,  inferior  in  strength  and  elasti- 
city, but  chiefly  is  bamboo  from  India  or  the  Tonkin 
(Tonquin)  cane  from  the  province  of  that  name, 
which  is  the  most  northerly  one  of  Cochin  China. 
Though  differing  in  features  to  be  noted,  both  of 
these  grow  under  similar  climatic  conditions.  We 
have  no  personal  acquaintance  with  Japanese  cane. 

Bamboo  or  Bambusa  is  a  genus  of  grasses,  of  ap- 
proximately one-hundred  species,  attaining  a  height 
generally  of  from  twenty  to  one-hundred  feet. 
They  all  have  an  underground  root-stock  which 
throws  up  from  five  to  one-hundred  stems.  The 
straight  horizontal  branches  are  not  developed  until 
the  stems  have  reached  their  full  height  and  they 
are  denser  toward  the  top.  The  stems  or  stalks 
(botanically,  "culms")  are  jointed,  like  those  of 
other  grasses,  and  contain  within  only  a  light,  spongy 

35 


36       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


pith  except  at  the  joints  or  nodes,  where  they  are 
divided  by  strong  partitions.  Upon  the  outside  of 
the  stalks  are  circumscribing  ridges  corresponding 
to  the  site  of  the  partitions  within.  Because  of 

these  partitions,  sec- 
tions of  bamboo- 
stalk  are  readily  con- 
verted into  water- 
bottles,  and,  upon  re- 
moval of  the  parti- 
tions, the  stalks  of 
the  larger  species, 
attaining  a  diameter 
of  five  or  six  inches, 
are  used  in  the  Orient 
for  piping  water. 

Interest  attaches 
to  the  use  of  the 
word  "  cane  "  as  ap- 
plied to  bamboo. 
Botanically,  cane  re- 
fers to  any  plant 
crowing  bamboo  having  long,  hard, 

tlastic  stems.  Walking-sticks  originally  were  desig- 
nated "  canes  "  only  when  made  of  cane,  as  from  the 
smaller  stems  of  bamboo  imported  into  Europe  for 
this  purpose.  Thus  bamboo  does  not  derive  its 
name  of  cane  from  the  walking-stick,  but,  conversely, 
"  cane  "  as  applied  generally  to  the  walking-stick 


BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL  37 

arose  from  the  specific  use  of  cane  in  the  manufac- 
ture thereof. 

Bamboo-stalk  is  remarkable  for  its  combined 
hardness,  strength,  lightness,  and  elasticity,  and  these 
qualities,  together  with  its  availability  and  the  ease 
with  which  it  may  be  split  into  narrow  strips,  at  once 
commend  it  for  a  multitude  of  uses,  such  as  for  mats, 
baskets,  pipe-stems,  spear  and  lance  shafts,  flutes, 
palaquin-poles,  masts,  for  building  furniture,  houses, 
and  bridges. 

In  all  species  the  outer  covering  of  the  stem  is 
extremely  hard  and  siliceous,  and  its  walls  become 
progressively  softer  and  more  friable  from  with- 
out toward  the  inner  pith.  The  knots  of  some  spe- 
cies of  bamboo  exude  a  sweetish  juice  which  expo- 
sure to  the  air  thickens  into  a  gum  that  the  Greeks 
called  "  Indian  honey."  The  fruit  of  some  varieties 
is  a  grain,  of  others  a  nut,  or  again  a  fleshy  product 
more  like  an  apple.  Some  young  bamboo-shoots  are 
eaten  like  asparagus  with  us. 

As  has  been  said,  bamboo  grows  in  all  sizes,  from 
the  species  attaining  only  a  few  feet  in  height  to  the 
Bambusa  Guadua  of  New  Granada  or  the  Java 
article,  which  may  have  trunks  sixteen  inches  in 
diameter;  and  the  stems  of  the  different  species  vary 
much  in  the  thickness  of  the  woody  part.  A 
smoothly  cut  cross-section  of  the  stalk  will  show  its 
walls  to  be  cellular  or  honeycombed  in  character, 
the  cells  being  more  closely  compacted  as  the  outer 


38       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

surface  is  approached.  The  depth  of  this 
"  enamel  "  or  strength-imparting  stratum  varies  both 
actually  and  relatively  to  the  thickness  of  individual 
stem-walls;  and  different  species  of  bamboo,  as  also 
different  stems  of  the  same  species,  vary  considerably 
in  their  straightness  of  growth.  In  all  species  the 
rate  of  growth  is  very  rapid  and  in  some  almost  in- 
credibly so. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  stems  having  rela- 
tively thicker  and  denser  enamel  strata  will  be  su- 
perior for  use  where  strength  and  elasticity  are  prime 
requisites;  and  this  factor  of  hardness  or  solidity  to- 
gether with  straightness  of  the  stems  and  knots  that 

.  are   but   slightly   swollen, 
/  ""**•   is  what  particularly  com- 
mends  bamboo    for    rod- 
making. 

Upon   bending   a   strip 
split  from  a  bamboo-stem, 
.  the  convexity  of  the  curve 

Lateral    section    of    a    joint    of  v  i 

bamboo  stalk  through  node  Corresponding  tO  the  OUtCr 

or  "  rind  "  side,  when  the  breaking-point  is  reached 
it  will  be  noted  that  this  hard  outer  layer  is  com- 
posed of  long  fibers  which  splinter  into  brush- 
like  ends.  These  fibers  are  interrupted  at  the  nodes 
or  knots  and  interlace  there,  and  when  the  strength- 
ening partition  is  cut  away  they  -mark  the  weakest 
place  in  the  wall;  a  strip  will  easily  break  of  short 
at  this  point. 


BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL-         39 

Up  to  some  thirty-odd  years  ago  most  manufac- 
turers of  angling-rods  employed  the  Indian  (Cal- 
cutta) bamboo  for  their  purpose,  and  an  occasional 
veteran  angler  will  be  encountered  today  who  firmly 
believes  that  a  Calcutta-bamboo  rod  is  the  only  bam- 
boo rod.  But  the  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  the 
day  of  the  Calcutta  rod  has  passed;  and  yet  the  best 
rods  made  now  are  far  better  than  any  that  Dad  or 
even  Grandfather  ever  owned.  A  conspicuous  su- 
perficial feature  identifying  the  Indian  cane  is  the 
irregularly  mottled  effect  produced  by  the  burn-  or 
scorch-marks,  always  found  on  this  variety  and  con- 
trasting prettily  with  its  naturally  yellow  rind  when 
thoroughly  seasoned.  This  ordinarily  is  not  seen  in 
the  Tonkin  or  Chinese  cane,  and  when  found  in  the 
experience  of  the  author  it  was  neither  so  extensive 
nor  fantastic.  The  latter  bamboo,  as  purchased  in 
the  American  market,  generally  has  a  smooth  un- 
marked surface  of  a  little  brighter  yellow  shade  than 
that  of  the  Calcutta  cane.  - 

Encyclopedia  references  make  no  note  of  these  ar- 
tificial brown  markings  which  ordinarily  are  taken 
to  be  merely  decorative.  Henry  P.  Wells  mentions 
six  possible  explanations  of  their  occurrence  in  his 
Fly-Rods  and  Fly-Tackle.  To  the  best  knowledge 
of  the  present  writer  they  are  the  result  of  searing 
th^  green  bamboo-stalks  with  hot  irons  in  the  drying 
out  and  straightening  process,  before  marketing 
them. 


40       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

As  the  first  split-bamboo  rods  offered  the  angling 
fraternity  were  made  of  the  Calcutta  cane,  it  was 
natural  that  these  markings  came  to  be  indissolubly 
associated  with  the  only  genuine  thing  in  such  rods. 
Later  on,  when  for  one  reason  or  another  it  became 
increasingly  difficult  to  secure  a  high  grade  of  Cal- 
cutta bamboo  for  the  American  rod-maker,  recourse 
was  had  to  the  Tonkin  variety,  and  today  by  far 
most  of  the  best  rods  both  of  domestic  and  British 
manufacture  —  and  including  the  two  brands  most 
generally  regarded  as  the  best  of  all  —  are  made 
of  the  Tonkin  cane. 

Very  likely  the  reason  for  the  usual  absence  of 
scorch-marks  on  Tonkin  bamboo  is  that  its  stalks 
grow  straighter  than  those  of  the  Calcutta  article, 
thus  making  it  of  less  importance  to  "  take  out  the 
kinks  "  before  sending  it  to  market.  However,  for 
the  purpose  of  rod-making,  it  doubtless  was  expe- 
dient for  a  time  to  reproduce  on  the  Tonkin  cane 
marks  similar  to  those  which  had  become  familiar 
to  persons  acquainted  with  the  Calcutta  bamboo,  and 
intimately  associated  in  their  minds  with  the  intrinsic 
qualities  of  elasticity,  etc.,  highly  desirable  in  an 
angling-rod.  To  this  end  some  strongly-corrosive 
acid  may  have  been  employed  at  times.  But  when 
the  Tonkin  article  came  to  be  fully  proven  the  equal 
of  if  not  superior  to  the  other  for  this  specific  pur- 
pose, then  the  trade  could  afford  to  put  it  into  rods 


BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL  41 

undisguised  and  unadorned,  strictly  on  its  own  un- 
deniable merits. 

Most  of  the  bamboo  that  reaches  America  comes 
in  as  ballast  for  returning  light  cargoes,  and  as  pur- 
chased from  the  dealer  the  tyro  rod-maker  will  re- 
ceive it  in  butts  or  stalks  of  from  four  to  six  feet  in 
length.  The  six-foot  "  sticks  "  are  what  he  prefer- 
ably should  ask  for;  and  they  will  vary  in  diameter, 
at  the  larger  end,  from  a  little  more  than  one  inch 
to  two  inches;  they  will  average  about  an  inch-and-a- 
quarter,  and  have  a  maximum  thickness  of  wall  of 
from  three-sixteenths  to  three-eighths  of  an  inch. 
For  some  reason  —  apparently  mysterious  because 
of  the  prevalence  and  rapid  growth  of  bamboo  and 
the  size  attained  by  many  varieties  —  larger  butts 
are  not  obtainable  in  the  American  market.  Our 
own  impression  is  that  this  may  be  explained  by  the 
fact  that  these  readily  obtainable  larger  kinds  are 
of  more  rapid  growth,  of  looser  fiber,  and  deficient 
in  elasticity;  and  experience  would  seem  to  have  con- 
firmed this.  Through  an  interested  friend  in  touch 
with  an  Oriental  importing-house,  and  after  months 
of  correspondence  —  starting  in  India  with  officials 
at  the  Calcutta  Botanical  Gardens  —  we  received 
some  stalks  over  ten  feet  long,  very  smooth  and 
straight,  nearly  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  measur- 
ing over  three  feet  between  knots;  but  the  stuff  was 
thin-walled  and  deficient  in  hardness,  compactness  of 


42       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

fiber,  and  elasticity,  like  our  native  bamboo.  It 
would  make  beautiful  cases  for  rods,  however.  It 
may  be,  too,  that  bamboo  from  a  locality  which  ex- 
poses the  growing  stalks  to  frequent  bending  in  the 
wind  will  develop  superior  elasticity;  and  strips  from 
the  side  of  an  individual  stalk  that  was  most  exposed 
to  the  weather  may  have  a  preferable  steely  quality. 
Of  the  numerous  varieties  of  the  Indian  bamboo, 
it  would  appear  that  the  particular  one  known  bo- 
tanically  as  Dendro calamus  strictus  would  be  the 
best  for  rod-making,  though  it  has  been  stated  that 
the  Bambusa  arundinacea  is  the  Calcutta  cane  often 
used  for  the  purpose.  The  former  is  described  as 
follows,  by  J.  S.  Gamble,  in  an  article  on  the  Bam- 
buseee  of  British  India,  Annals  of  the  Calcutta  Bo- 
tanical Gardens,  vol.  7,  p.  79.  We  quote  directly 
from  a  pamphlet  issued  by  the  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture,  captioned:  "Seeds  from  a  Bamboo 
from  Calcutta,  India,  presented  by  Mr.  William 
Bambower,  Collins,  Ohio  " — 

A  very  useful  and  strong  bamboo  of  India,  formerly  used  uni- 
versally for  spear  shafts.  The  plant  flowers  frequently  and  does 
not  die  down  after  flowering  as  in  the  case  with  so  many  bam- 
boos. The  culms  are  said  to  sometimes  reach  a  height  of  one- 
hundred  feet.  This  is  the  most  common  and  most  widely  spread 
and  most  universally  used  of  the  Indian  bamboos,  and  is  commonly 
known  as  the  "  male "  bamboo.  Its  culms  are  employed  by  the 
natives  for  all  purposes  of  building  and  furniture,  for  mats,  baskets, 
sticks,  and  other  purposes.  It  furnishes,  when  large  culms  are 
procurable,  the  best  material  for  lance  shafts.  In  Burma,  when 
large  culms  are  obtainable,  they  are  much  in  request  for  mats 
[masts?]  for  native  boats.  It  flowers  gregariously  over  large  areas, 


BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL  43 

as  it  did  in  the  Central  Provinces  in  1865,  but  it  may  be  found 
flowering  sporadically,  a  few  clumps  at  a  time  almost  every  year, 
in  any  locality,  and  such  clumps  then  usually  die  off.  These  flow- 
erings, however,  do  not  produce  as  much  good  seed  as  when  the 
gregarious  flowering  takes  place.  The  flowers  appear  in  the  cold 
season  between  November  and  April,  the  seed  ripening  in  June. 
The  leaves  fall  in  February  or  March,  and  the  young  new  ones 
appear  in  April.  The  young  culms  are  rather  late,  usually  be- 
ginning to  appear  in  July  sometime  after  the  rains  begin. 

As  compared  with  the  Calcutta  bamboo,  the  rind 
or  compact  enamel,  outside  layer  of  Tonkin  cane  is 
thicker  and  harder,  the  "  wood  "  cuts  yellower  — 
not  unlike  a  piece  of  miniature  yellow  pine  —  its 
fibers  are  coarser,  and  strips  split  from  it  have  a 
stiffer  elasticity.  Of  two  rods  of  equal  dimensions, 
that  made  of  Calcutta  cane  will  be  a  bit  lighter  in 
weight  and  more  pliant  —  will  have  less  "  back- 
bone." In  two  other  respects  the  Calcutta  is  easier 
to  work:  its  softer,  whiter  fiber  planes  easier  where 
the  Tonkin  requires  more  frequent  sharpenings  of 
the  planing-iron,  and  the  fibers  also  being  finer  (it 
makes  a  more  hair-like  brush  on  breaking)  and  less 
cohesive,  it  splits  both  truer  and  more  readily.  In 
two  more-important  respects  the  Tonkin  cane  is 
pleasanter  to  work:  it  is  straighter,  deflecting  less 
from  node  to  node;  and  the  nodes  themselves  — 
both  the  partitions  inside  and  the  corresponding  cir- 
cular ridges  outside  —  are  much  less  prominent  and 
so  less  distorting  to  the  symmetry  of  the  stick  and 
of  strips  split  therefrom.  Also,  in  this  variety,  de- 
pressions at  the  ridges,  marking  the  site  where  fronds 


44       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

or  leaves  have  dropped  or  been  cut  away,  are  rarely 
noticeable  in  the  butts  delivered  by  the  bamboo 
dealer,  whereas  in  the  Calcutta  sticks  they  always  are 
found  —  and  in  an  aggravated  form  due  to  the  leaf 
being  set  deeper  into  the  stalk  —  and  render  it  im- 
possible to  utilize  in  rod-making  longitudinal  strips 
split  from  their  entire  circumference.  In  other 
words,  much  of  the  Calcutta-bamboo  stalk  must  be 
counted  as  waste  material  in  building  rods. 

In  selecting  bamboo  butts,  pick  out  those  having 
a  decidedly  well-seasoned,  clear  yellow  appearance 
rather  than  a  greenish  tinge,  reject  any  showing  burn- 
marks  penetrating  deeply  into  the  fiber  of  the  wall, 
and,  other  things  being  equal  —  as  degree  of  sea- 
soning, especially  —  size  for  size,  a  stick  having 
denser  and  thicker  enamel  will  weigh  heavier. 
Grayish  stains  may  be  the  result  of  mildew.  Well- 
seasoned  hard-fibered  stock  will  give  out  a  clear  ring 
when  struck  with  a  stick,  quite  different  from  the 
flat  sound  of  green  cane. 

Some  fishing-tackle  dealers  have  been  reluctant  in 
the  past  to  supply  stick  bamboo  to  amateur  rod- 
builders,  but  during  more  recent  years  many  of  them 
have  very  sensibly  pursued  a  more  farsighted  policy. 
The  writer  has  obtained  perfectly  satisfactory  sound 
and  well-seasoned  Tonkin-bamboo  butts  from  the 
Robert  Ogilvie  Company,  79  Chambers  Street,  New 
York  City;  J.  Deltour,  1112  Forest  Avenue,  Bronx, 
New  York  City;  the  Fred  D.  Divine  Company, 


BAMBOO  AS  A  ROD  MATERIAL  45 

Utica,  N.  Y. ;  James  Heddon's  Sons,  Dowagiac, 
Mich.;  and  the  T.  H.  Chubb  Rod  Company,  Post 
Mills,  Vt.  From  Abbey  and  Imbrie,  97  Chambers 
Street,  New  York  City,  he  has  procured  both  Tonkin 
and  Calcutta  cane.  The  average  cost  for  six-foot 
sticks  was  about  forty  cents  each. 

We  will  add  that  prominent  dealers  in  anglers' 
supplies  carry  in  stock  split-bamboo  rod-joints,  glued 
up  but  unmounted,  unwound,  and  unvarnished,  for 
those  who  wish  to  repair  or  assemble  rods,  but  who 
may  hesitate  to  undertake  the  more  complex  work 
of  actually  building  joints.  The  cost  of  the  first- 
quality  machine-made  article  of  this  description  is 
about  one  dollar  per  joint;  for  handmade,  from  two 
to  three  dollars.  The  writer  began  his  rod  work 
by  assembling,  mounting,  winding,  and  finishing  such 
glued-up  stock.  In  some  cases  it  may  be  advisable 
to  start  in  the  game  after  this  fashion,  but  the  re- 
sultant satisfaction  is  not  comparable  with  that  ex- 
perienced by  the  angler  who  is  the  fond  possessor  of 
a  set  of  rods  which  represents  his  own  thought  and 
handiwork  from  start  to  finish,  which  he  knows  ab- 
solutely to  be  composed  throughout  the  entire  length 
of  each  and  every  section  of  solid,  tough  fiber  clear 
to  the  center,  and  who  is  independent  of  outside  as- 
sistance in  making  repairs,  even  to  the  extent  of  con- 
structing new  joints  to  replace  such  as  may  have 
suffered  smash-ups. 

We  regret  to  have  to  state  that  we  have  seen  in 


46       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

one  of  the  oldest  and  most  reliable  anglers'  outfitting- 
shops,  one  of  the  most  famous  makes  of  bamboo  rod, 
that  had  at  one  point  in  its  circumference  four  knots 
in  line  out  of  the  six  strip-sections.  The  price  of 
that  rod  was  thirty-five  dollars.  The  novice  will 
better  appreciate  the  significance  of  this  statement 
when  he  reads  the  ensuing  chapter.  Also,  we  have 
a  friend  who,  accidentally  smashing  a  joint  of  his 
"  classy  "  split-bamboo,  decided  to  take  advantage 
of  this  opportunity  to  investigate  and  see  just  what 
value  he  had  obtained  for  his  thirty-odd  dollars. 
Cross-sections  of  the  joint  at  various  points  revealed 
a  hole  running  through  its  center  that  would  almost 
admit  a  steel  knitting-needle.  We  fear  that  in  some 
instances,  with  better  facilities  for  manufacturing 
and  with  increased  output,  the  American  handmade 
split-bamboo  has  been  bereft  of  intimate  personal 
solicitude  in  the  making,  and  in  consequence  has 
deteriorated  in  that  quality  which  once  made  the  name 
invariably  synonymous  with  "  the  best  in  the  world." 


ROD-MAKING: 

SPLITTING  OUT,  STRAIGHTENING, 
AND  ASSEMBLING  THE  STRIPS 


CHAPTER  III 

ROD-MAKING: 

SPLITTING  OUT,  STRAIGHTENING, 
AND  ASSEMBLING  THE  STRIPS 

That  genius  surely  had  an  inspiration  who  first 
conceived  the  idea  of  constructing  an  angling-rod 
hexagonally,  in  longitudinal  sections  composed  of 
glued  and  silken-bound  triangular  strips  of  the 
strongest,  outer  part  only  of  the  walls  of  bamboo- 
cane,  thus  achieving  straight  and  practically  solid 
joints,  equally  elastic  and  resistant  in  all  directions, 
and  of  a  hitherto  unheard-of  strength  in  comparison 
with  their  delicate  caliber  and  astonishingly  light 
weight.  Kit  Clarke,  noted  veteran  angler  and  au- 
thor of  Where  the  Wild  Trout  Hide,  and  who  died 
only  recently,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  credits  the  in- 
vention to  Sam  Phillipi,  a  gunmaker  of  Easton,  Pa., 
about  the  year  1862. 

But  while  the  standard  split-bamboo,  as  now 
known,  is  probably  of  American  origin,  the  credit  for 
the  first  rods  made  of  actual  rent  cane-strips  we  have 
to  admit  belongs  to  England.3  The  Phillipi  rod- 

3  For  the   following   data  concerning  the   history   of  the   "  split-bamboo  " 
we  are  indebted  to  articles  by  Messrs.   William  Mitchell  and  Lawrence  D. 

49 


50       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

joints  were  made  in  three  longitudinal  sections. 
About  1860,  E.  A.  Green  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  made 
up  for  the  trade  a  few  rods  in  four  longitudinal  sec- 
tions, followed  in  1863  or  1864  by  an  acquaintance, 
a  Mr.  Murphy,  also  of  Newark.  Thaddeus  Norris 
used  one  of  these  Phillipi,  Green,  or  Murphy  rods. 
The  first  rods  in  six  bamboo  sections  were  put  on 
the  American  market  by  H.  L.  Leonard  of  Bangor, 
Me.,  about  1870,  though  Mr.  Murphy  claimed  to 
have  made  one  some  time  previously. 

William  Mitchell  says  the  first  split-bamboo  he 
ever  saw  or  heard  of  was  made  by  William  Blacker, 
of  54,  Dean  Street,  Soho,  London,  to  order  for  Mr. 
James  Stevens,  the  well-known  sportsman  of  Ho- 
boken,  N.  J.,  and  that  in  1852  it  was  given  to  him 
for  repairs  and  alterations.  Blacker  was  the  author 
of  Fly  Making  and  Angling,  London,  1855,  and  he 
says  on  page  82  :  "  The  rent  and  glued-up  bamboo- 
cane  rods,  which  I  turn  out  to  the  greatest  perfection 
[and  thus  we  see  where  all  the  modern  makers  ob- 
tained their  literary  cue],  are  very  valuable,  as  they 
are  very  light  and  powerful,  and  throw  the  line  with 
great  facility." 

Thomas  Aldred,  of  London,  claimed  to  be  the 
inventor  of  the  three-section  or  -strip  glued-up  bam- 
boo rod,  at  some  date  prior  to  the  Crystal  Palace 

Alexander,  appearing  in  vol.   II  of  Sport  with  Gun  and  Rod,  published  by 
The  Century   Co.,   in    1883,   though   their   original   source   is    The   American  f 
Angler.     Mr.    Mitchell    himself    first   made   a   split-cane   rod,   in   four    longi- 
tudinal   sections    of    Chinese    bamboo,    "  which    is   much    harder    and    more 
homogeneous,"  in  June,   1869. 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       51 

Exhibition,  in  1851,  at  which  Ainge  and  Aldred, 
J.  Bernard,  and  J.  K.  Farlow  exhibited  the  imple- 
ment. The  Aldred  firm  showed  their  rod  also  at  the 
Exhibition  in  1853,  at  New  York.  All  these  rods 
were  of  three  longitudinal  sections,  running  the  whole 
length  of  the  cane,  and  not  in  strips  glued  up  with 
staggered  knots.  In  1856  there  was  printed  in  Lon- 
don an  edition  of  Walton's  Compleat  Angler,  with 
notes  on  fishing-tackle  by  the  publisher,  Henry  C. 
Bohn.  On  page  325  he  says:  'The  split  or 
glued-up  rod  is  difficult  to  make  well,  and  very  ex- 
pensive. It  is  made  of  three  pieces  of  split  cane, 
which  some  say  should  have  the  bark  inside,  some 
outside,  nicely  rounded." 

In  the  first  edition  of  his  Handbook  of  Angling, 
London,  1847,  Edward  Fitzgibbon  quotes  Mr.  Lit- 
tle, of  15,  Fetter  Lane,  rod-maker  to  His  Royal 
Highness  Prince  Albert,  and  speaking  of  the  top- 
and  middle-joints  of  a  salmon  rod,  as  follows: 
"  They  are  to  be  made  from  the  stoutest  pieces  of 
bamboo-cane,  called  '  jungle,'  and  brought  from 
India.  The  pieces  should  be  large  and  straight,  so 
that  you  can  rend  them  well  through  knots  and  all. 
Each  joint  should  consist  of  three  rent  pieces,  .  .  . 
and  afterward  glued  together,  knot  opposite  to  knot 
.  .  but  the  best  part  opposite  to  that  which  may  be 
imperfect,  so  as  to  equalize  defectiveness  and  good- 
ness. The  natural  badness  of  the  cane  you  counter- 
act by  art,  and  none  save  a  clever  workman  can  do 


52        THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

it.  ...  If  the  pieces  are  skilfully  glued  together, 
they  will  require  no  redressing,  except  at  the  corners, 
to  bring  the  rod  from  the  three-square  to  the  round 
shape.  I  am  prepared  to  prove  that  there  are  not 
more  than  three  men  in  London  capable  of  making, 
perfectly,  rods  of  solid  cane,  rent,  glued,  and  then 
correctly  finished  with  the  bark  lying  on  the  outside." 
Mr.  Fitzgibbon  himself  adds :  "  In  my  opinion, 
rods  .  .  .  made  entirely  of  rent  and  glued  jungle- 
cane  are  the  best.  They  must  be  most  carefully 
fashioned,  and  no  maker  can  turn  them  out  without 
charging  a  high  price.  I  am  also  of  opinion  that 
they  will  last  longer  than  any  other  sort  of  rod,  and 
are  far  less  liable  to  warping.  I  have  a  high  opin- 
ion of  their  elasticity,  and  Mr.  Bowness,  fishing- 
tackle  maker  of  No.  12,  Bellyard,  Temple  Bar, 
showed  me  once  a  trout  fly-rod,  made  in  this,  my 
favorite  way,  that  had  been  for  many  years  in  use 
and  was  still  straight  as  a  wand.  I  never  saw  a  bet- 
ter single-handed  rod."  After  this  discerning  com- 
ment, it  arouses  one's  curiosity  to  note  that  in  the 
second  edition  of  his  book,  published  only  a  year 
later  (1848),  "Ephemera"  writes:  "I  have 
changed  my  opinion  with  respect  to  rods  made  en- 
tirely of  rent  cane  or  any  other  wood  rent.  Their 
defects  will  always  more  than  counterbalance  their 
merits." 

Allowing  therefore  a  reasonable  interpretation  to 
the  expression  "  for  many  years,"  this  would  seem 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       53 


to   show  indisputably  that  rods   of   "  rent  jungle- 
cane  "  were  made  as  far  back  as  1830-40. 

The  accompanying  cross- 
section  diagrams  will  at 
once  make  clear  exactly 
what  part  of  the  bamboo- 
stick  is  used,  and  how  the 
strips  so  split  out  and  cut 
down  to  form  are  combined 
in  the  completed  individual 

joints  Or  Sections  Of  a  mod-  A— Cross-section  of  bamboo  stalk 
_         rr.A  B  —  Rough-split  rectangular  strip 

C  —  Split  strip  planed  to  triangu- 

It  is  to  be  understood  lar  form 
that  each  individual  strip  of  a  joint  is  in  cross-sec- 
tion an  equilateral  triangle,  except  for  the  slight 
convexity  of  its  outer  surface  which  remains  un- 
touched by  the  cutting-tool;  that  each  strip  has  a 
definite  taper  from  its  butt  to  the  top 
end;  and  that  each  joint  throughout 
the  whole  symmetrically-tapered 
rod,  from  the  rod's  butt  of  one-half 
inch,  more  or  less,  in  diameter  to  its 
delicate  tip  of  a  scant  one-sixteenth  inch  or  little  more 
in  thickness,  is  composed  of  six  of  these  exactly 
similar  strips.  The  uninitiated  on  being  shown, 
with  this  explanation,  the  top-joint  of  an  eight-  to 
nine-foot  fly-rod  weighing,  complete,  from  four  to 
five  ounces,  and  easily  capable  of  bringing  to  the 
landing-net  a  five-pound  streak  of  lightning  scien- 


Cross-section  of  com- 
pleted (glued)  rod- 
joint 


54       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

tifically  designated  Sahelinus  fontinalis,  are  very 
likely  to  be  incited  to  that  somewhat  trite  though 
unctiously  satisfactory  retort,  "  You  're  a  liar !  " 
Yet  't  is  even  so.  And  now  it  becomes  the  writer's 
great  pleasure  to  descend  to  brass  tacks  and  explain 
in  detail  how  this  miracle  is  wrought. 

Having  acquired  his  cherished  sticks  from  the 
nearest  available  source,  the  prospective  engineer 
and  constructer  conveys  them  homeward  with  a  pal- 
pitating heart.  Other  tremors  of  that  same  cardiac 
organ  are  due  to  occur  ere  his  delightful  and  fear- 
some task  is  completed.  True  to  advice,  he  has  se- 
lected well-seasoned  stock  having  a  good  depth  of 
enamel,  but  he  will  see  to  it  that  his  material  has 
further  opportunity  to  ripen  well  before  he  makes 
use  of  the  completed  rod.  To  this  end  he  will  be- 
gin immediately  by  splitting  his  sticks  lengthwise  into 
quarters,  thus  breaking  through  all  partitions  at  the 
nodes  and  admitting  the  air  freely  to  the  pith  side 
of  the  bamboo  tube.  Remember  this  is  Winter,  and 
that  many  weeks  are  to  elapse  before  the  advent  of 
the  blithesome  Springtime  —  so  there  is  no  hurry. 
Do  not  start  this  job  if  you  are  obsessed  with  any 
idea  of  haste.  Not  that  after  a  short  time  you  will 
be  unable  to  turn  out  rods  with  a  very  respectable 
alacrity;  but  do  not  fail  to  begin  under  the  beneficent 
influence  of  the  feeling  of  abundant  leisure  for  your 
project. 

After  the  sticks  have  been  quartered  you  may  pro- 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       55 

ceed  to  split  out  rectangular  strips  roughly  approxi- 
mating the  final  size  required  for  use  in  individual 
joints.  These  also  may  stand  aside  in  a  dry  place, 
and  season  some  more.  The  degree  of  seasoning 
and  elasticity  may  be  tested  by  bending  a  slender 
piece  sharply  between  the  hands  and  noting  how 
quickly  and  completely  it  regains  its  former  lines 
upon  releasing  one  end.  You  also  may  test  the  sur- 
plus ends  of  strips,  in  selecting  those  for  use,  by 
bending  them  until  they  break.  The  harder  it  is 
to  break  them  and  the  longer  the  splintering  frac- 
ture, the  better  the  material  is  suited  to  your  pur- 
pose. Then,  after  planing  the  strips  down  to  final 
dimensions  and  collating  them  into  their  respective 
joints,  temporarily  bound  with  coarse  thread,  they 
may  well  season  some  more.  After  the  joints  are 
glued  up  they  will  not  be  hurt  by  a  little  more  laying 
aside  and  additional  seasoning  before  varnishing; 
and  after  the  rod  has  received  its  last  finishing- 
touches,  is  jointed  and  hung  up  by  its  tip  —  well,  it 
really  is  all  the  better  if  it  be  let  hang  to  season  some 
more,  before  putting  it  to  use. 

Professional  makers  prefer  that  a  finished  high- 
grade  rod  shall  have  several  months'  rest  before 
reaching  the  hands  of  the  angler,  and  some  even 
allow  their  glued-up  joints  to  season  a  whole  year 
before  assembling  and  mounting  them  into  rods. 

But  now  to  our  mutton,  that  is,  our  splitting.  To 
be  sure,  splitting  is  splitting,  planing  is  planing,  glu- 


56       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

ing  is  gluing,  winding  is  winding,  and  varnishing  is 
varnishing;  but  most  emphatically  there  are  ways, 
and  other  ways,  of  attempting  each  and  all  of  these 
things  —  do  we  not  know  it!  If  desirous  of  get- 
ting into  trouble  "  right  off  the  reel,"  take  an  or- 
dinary jack-knife  and  a  quarter-section  of  Tonkin 
cane  and,  drawing  toward  you,  just  split  off  nicely 
and  evenly  say  a  three-eighths-inch  approximately 
rectangular  strip  from  its  edge  —  just  "  free  and 
easy  like."  Try  it  and  see  where  you  arrive. 

But  bamboo,  either  Calcutta  or  Tonkin,  may  be 
split  very  easily  and  true,  and  here  is  the  way  to  do 
it.  If  the  reader  can  improve  upon  the  method  or 
any  of  the  other  technic  carefully  detailed  in  this 
book,  as  later  he  may,  well  and  good;  but  take  the 
advice  that  for  the  beginner  in  split-bamboo  rod- 
building,  implicit  conformity  to  the  instructions  of 
one  who  has  been  there  spells  immunity  from  the 
devil  of  discouragement  and  failure  and  hence  is  al- 
together the  better  part  of  valor.  This  dose  of 
preventive  medicine  should  suffice. 

Procure  from  the  hardware  store  a  solid-blade 
better  grade  knife  of  the  kitchen  utility  style.  The 
illustration  conveys  the  idea,  and  the  cost  will  be 
twenty-five  or  thirty  cents;  or  a  cheap  steel-blade 
table-knife,  such  as  you  find  in  the  ten-cent  stores, 
will  serve.  With  the  butt-end  of  the  bamboo-stick 
on  the  floor  —  and  yourself  mounted  on  a  chair  or 
a  box  —  place  the  knife-blade  across  the  middle  of 


i — Halving  stalks     2 — Corrective  bending  over  alcohol  lamp 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       57 

the  upper  end  and  hit  it  squarely  with  a  hammer, 
splitting  the  cane  in  halves  down  to  the  first  node. 
Now  push  the  knife  down  into  contact  with  the  par- 
tition at  this  node  and  with  a  similar  blow  cut 
through  that  Next,  seize  each  split-off  half-por- 
tion between  thumb  and  finger  and  pull  them  apart. 
This  will  split  the  stick  evenly  down  to  the  second 
node.  Cut  through  this  as  before,  again  pull  the 
halves  apart,  and  so  continue  until  the  whole  length 
of  the  cane  is  divided.  With  Calcutta  bamboo, 
halve  it  through  the  depressions  where  the  leaves 
were  attached,  which  are  on  opposite  sides  at  al- 
ternate nodes. 

The  same  operation  repeated  will  divide  your 
halves  evenly  into  quarters,  when  you  now  set  about 
removing  the  outside  ridges  and  the  parts  of  the 
partitions  from  the  strips.  For  the  ridges,  the  ef- 
fective tool  is  a  medium-coarse  cross-hatched  file 
(not  a  mill-saw  file,  which  will  not  take  hold)  ;  and 


Cross-hatched  file 


you  should  file  straight  across,  at  right-angles  to  the 
strip  (not  draw-filing,  sideways),  which  is  conveni- 
ently held  for  the  purpose,  convex  side  up,  between 
the  jaws  of  an  iron  vise.  Having  filed  all  the  ridges 
level  with  the  surface  of  the  adjacent  wood,  you  now 


58       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

may  place  your  quarter-section  strips  concave  or 
pith  side  up  in  the  vise,  to  remove  the  partitions 
with  gouge  and  hammer,  flush  with  the  inner  sur- 
face. The  strips  will  now  appear  as  shown. 

Another  effective  way  of  breaking  the  halves  into 
quarters,  is  first  to  remove  the  ridges  and  partitions, 
then  to  place  the  pieces  between  the  vise-jaws,  hori- 
zontally on  the  flat,  and  screw  up  the  vise  till  the 
bamboo  cracks. 

Of  course  the  worker  must  have  a  workbench, 
which  need  not  be  over  six-feet  long,  with  a  level 
top  not  less  than  fifteen-inches  wide,  and  it  is  import- 
ant that  it  be  so  situated  that  operations  may  be  con- 
ducted in  a  good  light;  and  as  to  the  vise,  he  will 
find  that  one  of  cast-steel,  with  four-inch  jaws  hav- 
ing hardened  faces,  will  serve  nicely,  as  well  as  for 
all  other  purposes  of  household  carpentry  and  re- 
pairing. (Don't  suppose  for  a  moment  that  you 
are  going  to  manufacture  "  fishing-poles "  in  the 
house  with  impunity  and  balk  at  mending  a  broken 
chair,  or  at  some  other  little  odd-job  that  wifey  jogs 
you  about.)  Such  a  vise  will  cost  from  three  to 
four  dollars  as  against  the  six  or  eight  dollars  asked 
for  one  of  forged  steel ;  and  it  will  fulfill  all  the  func- 
tions of  the  more  expensive  tool  excepting  for  such 
heroic  work  as  bending  a  stiff  piece  of  iron  held  in 
the  jaws,  by  striking  it  against  the  side  with  a  heavy 
hammer. 

Our  quarter-sections  of  cane  are  now  ready  for 


Tonkin  and  Calcutta  bamboo  stalks  (at  left) 
Splintered  strips  of  Tonkin  and  Calcutta  cane  (top) 

Outside  of  section  of  stalk  with  ridges  filed  away;  inside  ot 
section  showing  remains  of  partitions;  same  with  parti' 
tions  cut  away;  and  six  narrow  rent  strips  (lower  right) 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       59 

further  splitting  into  approximately  square  or  rec- 
tangular strips  just  a  bit  thicker  than  actually  needed 
just  before  trimming  them  down  to  their  final  form, 
ready  for  gluing  up  into  rod-joints. 

We  go  about  this  second  splitting  somewhat  dif- 
ferently. The  section  to  be  split  into  these  narrower 
strips  is  laid  upon  its  back,  convex  side  against  the 
bench.  The  knife  now  is  held  with  its  length  length- 
wise of  the  strip,  the  point  of  the  blade  being  placed 
against  the  inner  surface  at  the  knots  or  remains  of 
the  nodes,  as  it  receives  the  blow  of  the  hammer. 
Thus  we  now  are  splitting  on  the  flat,  from  within 
outward,  and  not  endwise  of  the  wood  as  before. 
Begin  at  the  top  and  split  successively  at  each  knot, 
moving  toward  the  bottom  end  of  the  strip.  After 
the  hammer-blow  has  sunk  the  knife-blade  through 
the  knot,  give  the  knife  a  sudden  side-prying  wrench, 
which  extends  the  split  for  some  distance  both  ways 
from  the  knot.  When  all  the  knots  have  thus  been 
split  through,  take  hold  of  the  top  of  the  narrow 
strip  to  be  rent  off  and  complete  its  separation  by 
smartly  pulling  it  away. 

In  assembling  the  strips  to  be  used  in  individual 
rod-joints,4  it  is  necessary  that  most  of  them  be  cut 
some  inches  longer  than  the  intended  length  of  the 
completed  joint,  for  the  reason  that  some  of  the 
bamboo  necessarily  is  sacrificed  in  the  next  process, 

4  The  word  "  joint "  may  signify  either  an  individual  rod-section,  the 
ferrule  connection,  the  knot  at  site  of  a  node  in  the  bamboo,  or  the  node 
itself. 


60       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

which  is  known  as  "  slipping  the  joints  "  or  knots. 
This  means  simply  that  at  no  circumference  of  the 
completed  joint  should  knots  be  found  opposite  to 
each  other;  thus  every  weak  spot,  as  indicated  by  the 
situation  of  a  knot,  is  supported  by  solid,  long-fibered 
enamel  all  the  way  around  the  remainder  of  the  rod 
at  this  point.  This  staggered  construction  is  the 
American  usual  and  preferable  practise,  although  we 
know  of  one  of  the  most  famed  of  British  makers 
who  systematically  puts  three  knots  in  line  but  on 
alternate  faces  of  his  joints.  Probably  he  thinks 
that  a  more  subtly  harmonious  action  of  the  rod 
is  thereby  achieved. 

The  arrangement  of  the  six  narrow  strips  of  a 
prospective  joint,  properly  assembled  preparatory  to 
being  trimmed  to  length,  will  be  something  like  that 
shown  in  the  illustration.  Insomuch  as  these  nodes 


Slipping  or  staggering  the  knots 

/ 

in  bamboo  are  situated  varying  distances  apart,  and 
even  in  the  individual  stems  —  they  are  closer  to- 
ward the  butt  end  of  the  cane  —  two  strips  split 
from  parallel  parts  of  one  stalk,  and  one  being 
turned  end  for  end  and  thus  laid  up  against  its  mate, 
will  have  their  knots  mismatched  or  staggered;  and 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       61 

without  demanding  here  any  sacrifice  of  bamboo  in 
order  to  accomplish  this  result,  so  far  as  the  relation, 
one  to  the  other,  of  just  these  two  individual  strips 
is  concerned. 

The  concave  or  pith  surface  of  each  strip  is  now 
planed  just  sufficiently  to  flatten  them,  after  which 
their  sides  are  planed  only  enough  to  make  them 
smooth.  For  all  planing,  the  five-and-one-half  inch 
"Stanley"  iron-plane,  number  103,  and  costing 
about  fifty  cents,  will  do  nicely. 

The  worker  has  by  now  observed  this  peculiarity 
in  his  bamboo-strips  —  that  most  of  them  are  far 
from  straight,  and  that  their  zigzag  course  is  due 
mainly  to  angular  deflections  at  the  knots.  They 
may  run  fairly  straight  between  knots,  but  at  a  knot 
are  likely  to  be  markedly  diverted.  Our  diagram 
is  an  illustration  of  what  is  meant.  In  addition  to 


Angular  deflections  in  stalks  (and  in  split  strips)  of  bamboo-cane 

these  angular  bends,  long  curves  are  present,  run- 
ning in  all  directions.  Thus,  as  we  sight  along  the 
strips,  in  some  of  which  these  irregularities  are  much 
aggravated,  it  would  seem  to  be  a  hopeless  proposi- 
tion that  they  ever  could  be  fashioned  into  a  straight 
rod-joint. —  But  they  can,  and  herein  lies  one  of  the 
most  fascinating  elements  of  the  work. 

This  brings  us  to  the  consideration  of  another  very 


62       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

interesting  and  characteristic  feature  of  bamboo, 
namely,  its  action  under  the  local  application  of  a 
considerable  degree  of  dry  heat.  (It  was  this  one 
point  that  proved  the  "  open  sesame  "  to  satisfactory 
results  in  rod  construction  for  the  writer,  and  he  was 
enabled,  in  return,  to  tell  the  friend  who  told  him, 
about  a  point  in  gluing-up  that  also  "  straightened 
out  "  things  for  the  friend.  Until  we  consulted  one 
another  on  these  two  matters  each  had  been  dis- 
satisfied with  his  handiwork.)  Upon  holding  the 
strip  over  —  but  not  in  — -  a  gas-  or  oil-lamp  flame, 
turning  it  the  while  to  and  fro  between  the  fingers 
to  expose  all  sides,  a  point  is  quickly  reached,  short 
of  charring  deeply  enough  to  cause  permanent  in- 
jury, where  the  fibers  become  so  softened  and  pliable 
that  all  angles  and  sudden  bends  are  easily  straight- 
ened out  by  cautious  but  firm  manipulation  between 
the  hands;  or  the  hot  strip  may  be  clamped  straight 
in  your  vise.  Immediately  on  cooling,  the  wood  is 
again  hard,  rigid,  and  elastic.  Professional  rod- 
makers  place  the  strips  in  a  steam-box. 

In  this  straightening,  only  abrupt  deviations  — 
whether  curved  or  angular  —  need  to  be  remedied, 
but  it  is  imperative  that  all  such  should  now  receive 
careful  attention,  else  later  they  will  prevent  the 
strips  from  lying  flat  under  pressure  of  the  plane, 
in  the  V-groove  of  the  planing-mold,  when  cutting 
them  down  to  their  ultimate  triangular  form.  All 
long,  sweeping  curves  may  be  disregarded ;  these  will 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       63 

lie  flat  under  pressure,  and  largely  nullify  each  other 
when  six  of  the  strips  come  to  be  bound  up  together. 
Also,  it  will  be  seen  that  further  and  very  effective 
opportunity  for  straightening  the  whole  joint  pre- 
sents itself  when  the  strips  are  glued  up. 

In  straightening  over  the  flame,  some  considerable 
charring  of  the  woody  fibre  on  the  sides  of  the  strip 
excepting  its  enameled  surface  need  not  worry  the 
novice,  as  all  this  will  plane  away  in  the  reduction  to 
final  form  —  and  this  is  why  we  left  the  rectangular 
strips  somewhat  larger  than  apparently  was  neces- 
sary; but  you  should  take  good  care  that  this  outer 
or  rind  surface  is  least  directly  exposed  to  the  heat 
and  so  is  not  injured,  and  you  do  not  want  the  rec- 
tangular strips  left  excessively  large,  else  they  will 
not  bend  so  readily  when  heated  as  there  is  more 
wood  for  the  heat  to  penetrate  thoroughly. 

Occasionally  the  sudden  deflection  is  compound 
instead  of  simple;  then  it  first  should  be  reduced  to 
a  simple  deflection  and  straightened  afterward,  as 
shown  in  the  illustration  (i,  before  remedying;  2, 
first  bending;  3,  direction  of  final  bending).  And 
here  we  should  state  that  concerning  the  deviations 


Compound  lateral  bend  (both  angular  and  curved  deflections),  viewed  from 
rind  side  of  strip 


64       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

already  noted  —  mostly  they  are  angular  and  at  the 
knots  —  we  have  had  in  mind  lateral  or  sidewise 
deflections.  Another  condition  of  things  may  exist 
—  generally  adjacent  to  or  between  knots  —  ver- 
tically with  relation  to  the  enamel  surface;  they  are 
sudden  bumps  or  depressions,  and  the  direction  of 
the  corrective  bending  for  these  then  is  determined 
according  to  whether  they  are  upward  or  downward 
deflections. 

Our  strips  now  are  fairly  rectangular,  and  quite 
straight,  at  least  as  regards  any  aggravated  or  sud- 
den bends.  Here  we  again  go  over  the  knots  with 
the  file,  further  to  modify  any  bumpiness  at  these 
points,  when  the  strips  are  now  ready  for  planing. 
It  is  well,  first,  to  mark  the  strips  at  their  butt  ends 
and  on  the  rind  side,  to  indicate  any  preferable  ar- 
rangement as  to  the  order  in  which  they  shall  be 
glued  up,  using  the  modified  numerals,  I,  II,  III,  IIII, 
IIIII,  IIIIII.  These  you  always  can  decipher 
despite  any  subsequent  cutting  away,  either  at  the 
top  or  bottom,  in  planing. 

A  word  as  to  the  actual  significance  of  split  vs. 
sawed  strips  will  conclude  this  chapter.  As  already 
stated,  the  straightness  of  bamboo  varies  greatly. 
Some  sticks  may  be  so  straight  that  it  really  would 
make  very  little  difference  either  in  the  strength  or 
action  of  a  rod  made  therefrom,  as  to  whether  the 
rod  were  built  from  hand-rent  or  machine-sawed 
strips.  But  whereas  in  split  strips  the  woody  fibers 


SPLITTING  OUT  AND  ASSEMBLING       65 

or  grain  perforce  must  run  parallel  with  the  sides 
of  the  strip  throughout  its  length,  in  the  sawed  strips 
you  can  have  anything  from  astonishingly  good  to 
atrociously  bad  results.  Of  course  machine  sawing 
saves  much  labor,  and  hence  is  cheaper.  If  you 
have  a  very  narrow  strip  that  has  been  split  out,  so 
that  you  know  its  grain  runs  properly,  there  is  no 
reason  why  you  should  not  use  a  fine  saw  if  you  want 
to  rip  it  lengthwise  exactly  through  the  middle,  into 
two  still  slenderer  strips,  without  risking  an  attempt 
at  splitting,  when  you  have  no  margin  to  spare.  In 
short,  from  a  strip  that  first  has  been  split  out  from 
the  stalk,  another  strip  sawed  out  parallel  to  the 
edge  of  the  first  is  every  whit  as  good  as  one  rent 
from  it.  In  such  sawing,  place  the  strip,  rind  upper- 
most, obliquely  in  the  vise,  with  the  end  projecting 
only  a  little  above  it,  and  saw  not  more  than  two  or 
three  inches  at  a  time,  the  saw  running  between  the 
jaws;  then  shift  the,  strip  above  the  vise  two  or 
three  inches  more,  and  so  continue,  sawing  and  shift- 
ing, little  by  little,  until  it  is  wholly  divided. 

The  reader  may  judge  for  himself  about  how 
much  of  detailed  care,  in  seasoning,  selection,  and 
utilization  of  material,  is  represented  in  a  $2.75 
department-store  rod  that  is  turned  out  in  lots  by 
the  hundred;  and  yet  the  writer  knows  of  one  such 
that  weathered  a  Nipigon  campaign  with  flying 
colors.  Our  illustration  suggests  how  great  may  be 


66       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


A  —  Sawed  strip    B  —  Split  or  rent  strip 

the  difference  in  the  grain  of  two  strips,  one  of 
which  has  been  sawed  by  machine  and  the  other  one 
split  or  rent  out  of  a  stick  by  hand  in  the  manner 
described  and  which  alone  guarantees  the  best  re- 
sults. 


ROD-MAKING: 
PLANING  THE  STRIPS 


CHAPTER  IV 

ROD-MAKING: 
PLANING  THE  STRIPS 

It  must  be  evident  to  anyone  that  in  reducing 
roughly-squared  strips  of  bamboo  to  the  equilateral- 
triangular  form  and  definitely-graduated  taper  re- 
quired for  their  incorporation  into  symmetrical  rod- 
joints,  some  kind  of  grooved  form  or  mold  is  neces- 
sary for  holding  the  strips  securely  and  guiding  the 
cutting  exactly.  Such  devices  have  been  various. 
They  frequently  are  made  of  close-grained  hard 
wood  such  as  lignum-vitae,  beech,  or  maple.  The 
planing-board  of  the  professional  manufacturer  may 
be  of  brass. 

You  do  not  require  any  mold  for  the  initial  plan- 
ing operations,  already  noted  as  consisting  —  after 
a  mere  leveling  of  the  pith  surface  —  simply  in 
smoothing  the  split  sides  of  each  strip,  where  it  was 
rent  away  from  the  parent  stalk.  For  further  pre- 
liminary planing  and  tapering,  the  author  still  makes 
use  of  the  wooden  mold,  acceptably  and  quickly  con- 
structed, for  this  work,  of  any  soft  wood  such  as  pine 
or  cypress;  but  he  never  succeeded  in  turning  out 
joints  of  satisfactory  excellence  until  he  adopted  a 
steel  mold  or  planing-board  for  the  last,  fine  planing- 

69 


70       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

down  of  the  strips  to  their  ultimate  dimensions. 
Thus  far  the  most  unfavorable  criticism  upon  this 
device  by  discerning  angler  friends  was  offered  after 
this  fashion:  "  Say,  the  joints  that  that  thing  turns 
out  are  too  good;  no  one  will  believe  they  are  hand- 
made, and  by  an  amateur." 

This  steel  mold  is  adjustable  for  the  full  length 
and  varying  calibers  of  the  joints  of  any  rod,  from 
one  having  a  diameter  up  to  one  inch  or  more  at 
the  extreme  butt,  if  so  desired,  and  a  width  at  the 
tip  of  anything  from  a  scant  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch 
upward.  Also,  the  mold  being  made  in  independent 
halves,  of  not  excessive  rigidity,  it  may  either  be 
sprung  apart  or  compressed  along  the  middle  —  the 
ends  first  being  secured  —  to  produce  a  joint  having 
either  a  convex  or  concave  taper;  or  with  it  you  may 
turn  out  simple  straight-tapered  joints  or  those  hav- 
ing double  or  combined  straight  tapers.  All  this 
will  be  made  clear  as  we  proceed. 

In  employing  full-length  wooden  molds,  the  usual 
custom  is  to  construct  a  separate  one  for  each  indi- 
vidual joint  and  duplicates  —  butt,  middle-joint,  and 
top  —  of  certain  definite  dimensions.  Such  a  pro- 
cedure involves  not  only  the  extra  work  of  making 
three  distinct  molds  for  each  rod  of  a  given  caliber 
and  taper,  but  in  our  experience  it  is  far  from  satis- 
factory in  that  to  avoid  destroying  the  surface  of 
the  mold  in  the  last  planing,  the  strip  surfaces  — 
after  planing  them  to  close  approximation  —  must 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  71 

be  finished  by  filing;  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  prevent 
the  wearing  down  of  the  mold  even  in  the  most  care- 
ful cross-filing.  Such  distortion  of  its  originally 
even  surface  produces  hollow  places  in  the  sides  of 
the  rod-strips,  and  consequently  in  the  resultant  rod- 
joints,  and  to  a  more  aggravated  degree  as  each  suc- 
ceeding strip  leaves  the  mold.  Wooden  molds  are 
further  deficient  in  accuracy,  as  compared  with  steel 
molds,  because  the  edges  and  angles  of  a  wooden 
groove  are  less  sharply  defined  than  is  possible  with 
steel. 

We  will  give  sufficient  details,  however,  of  a  com- 
mon way  of  constructing  wooden  molds,  both  be- 
cause we  make  a  preliminary  use  of  such  a  mold  — 
which  can  thus  serve  us  in  the  building  of  many  rods 
of  entirely  different  dimensions  —  and  in  order  that 
the  reader  may  judge  how  much  simpler  and  more 
efficient  is  the  process  that  the  author  personally  uses 
and  commends. 

The  triangles  composing  a  hexagonal  rod-section 
are  equilateral  triangles;  such  triangles  have  angles 
of  60  degrees,  and  three  of  them  make  just  half  of 
the  section,  comprising  180  degrees,  as  there  are  360 
degrees  in  a  circle.  It  therefore  is  apparent  that  we 
must  plane  down  our  strips  flush  with  the  face  of  a 
groove  having  an  angle  of  60  degrees. 

Only  the  split  faces  of  each  strip  are  cut  down, 
and  these  by  bringing  them  uppermost  in  alternation. 
The  rind  or  enamel  surface  lies  always  against  one 


72       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

or  the  other  side  of  the  groove  and  it  remains  un- 
touched by  the  plane.  The  sketch  below,  of  the 
wooden  double  mold,  will  make  this  clear  if  the  text 
does  not. 

This  is  the  way  that  some  build  the  groove  for 
the  full-length  mold  of  wood.  It  is  made  by  fasten- 
ing together  two  strips,  of  say  %  inch  by  i%  inches 
and  3%  to  4  feet  long,  which  strips  have  had  the 
proper  bevel  cut  along  the  upper  edges  of  their  ad- 
joining sides.  The  diagram  shows  how  this  bevel 


A  —  Mold  strip 
B  —  Plane 
C  —  Guiding-strip 
D  —  Brace 


Pattern  for  planing-rig: 


E  —  Baseboard 
FF  —  Wedges  in  wedging 
space 


may  be  cut  accurately,  by  means  of  a  plane,  rectan- 
gular on  cross-section,  and  which  is  slid  along  a 
guiding-strip  that  holds  it  tipped  laterally  at  the 
proper  angle.  A  pattern  for  this  rig  is  easily  made 
in  full  size  by  first  drawing  the  mold-strip  cross-sec- 
tion, A;  next,  getting  the  inclination  of  the  bottom 
of  the  plane  (B)  by  means  of  an  equilateral  triangle 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  73 

(dotted  lines)  ;  then  drawing  at  a  right-angle  to 
this  the  line  (C)  which  represents  the  correct  incli- 
nation of  the  guiding-strip. 

The  groove  of  such  a  mold  is  at  first  of  a  uniform 
depth  throughout  its  length.  To  make  of  it  a 
tapered  groove,  it  remains  but  to  plane  down  the 
face  of  the  mold  to  whatever  tapering  depth  is  de- 
sired, bearing  in  mind  that  the  width  of  the  finished 
groove  at  any  point  —  and  consequently  of  a  sur- 
face of  the  bamboo-strip  that  will  just  fill  the  groove 
at  the  same  point  —  is  just  one-half  the  diameter  of 
the  completed  rod-joint  at  the  corresponding  point, 
provided  that  we  measure  the  rod's  diameter  from 
angle  to  angle  of  its  hexagonal  section,  and  not  be- 
tween opposite  flat  surfaces.  To  put  it  in  another 
way,  the  half  of  a  six-strip  rod-joint  that  has  been 
divided  lengthwise  presents  an  inside  plane  surface 
composed  of  only  two  adjoining  surfaces,  laid  up 
edge  to  edge.  Hence,  for  the  sake  of  convenience 


Lateral  half  of  a  hexagonal  rod-joint 


and  clarity,  we  will  after  this  speak  of  the  diameter 
from  angle  to  angle  whenever  referring  to  rod 
calibers,  unless  specifically  designated  otherwise. 

This  planing  of  the  mold's  grooved  surface  to 
taper  is  best  done  with  a  long  plane  that  the  car- 


74       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

penter  calls  a  fore-plane,  and  such  surface  should 
be  carefully  tested  lengthwise  with  a  straight-edge 
and  crosswise  with  a  try-square. 

But  the  writer  has  a  much  simpler  method  than 
all  this,  of  making  wooden  molds  for  all  that  he  re- 
quires of  them.  Indeed  they  need  only  approximate 
accuracy;  yet  it  is  easy  enough  to  have  the  angle  of 
the  groove  true.  Furthermore,  they  may  be  only 
from  six  inches  to  a  foot  in  length,  the  strips  being 
shifted  alon$  when  planing  them. 

The  reader  is  now  introduced  to  the  very  conven- 
ient little  tool  called  a  center-gauge.  You  see  that 
it  has  one  pointed  end  and  several  notches,  all  their 
angles  being  60  degrees.  This  may  be  obtained 


The  indispensable  little  center-gauge 

from  the  larger  hardware  stores,  either  untempered 
or  of  tempered  steel;  you  want  the  latter,  and  it  will 
cost  about  twenty-five  cents.  Time  and  again  you 
will  find  it  handy  for  testing  angles.  Take  your  two 
strips  of  any  soft  wood  and  plane  one  edge  of  each 
approximately  to  the  required  bevel  —  just  free- 
hand. Place  the  strips  side  by  side,  the  bevels  fac- 
ing, and  test  them  with  the  point  of  the  center-gauge. 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS 


75 


Correct,  as  needed,  by  additional  planing  and  test- 
ing, until  the  bevels  and  the  groove  they  form  are 
fairly  accurate;  then,  to  make  the  groove  absolutely 
correct,  use  your  tempered  center-gauge  as  a  scraper, 
holding  the  tool  vertically  as  you  draw  the  point 
lengthwise  of  the  strips,  which  are  paralleled  but 
kept  slightly  separated.  Now  nail  the  beveled  strips 
together  and  your  mold  is  ready  for  use. 

It  will  be  found  an  added  convenience  if  you  make 
a  double  mold,  by  utilizing  opposite  surfaces  of  the 
same  strips,  one  groove  running  from  about  %-inch 
deep  at  the  large  end  to  %e  at  the 
small  end,  and  the  other  being 
slightly  shallower.  The  grain  of 
the  wood  had  better  run  vertically, 
as  sketched. 

Thus  far  the  only  planing  of  our 
bamboo-strips  consisted  in  cutting 
off  the  pith  from  the  inner,  con- 
cave side  to  a  flat  surface  and  the  mere  smoothing 
of  the  split  edges;  and  this  preferably  is  done  as  ad- 
vised, that  is  previous  to  heating  and  straightening 
them.  The  first  process  in  actual  reduction  to  the 
triangular  form  wanted  —  and  one  that  facilitates 
matters  when  we  come  to  make  use 
of  the  V-groove  —  is  to  lay  the 
strips  on  their  sides  and  plane  away 

Beveling    one    side    of  i      •  v       r 

strip  freehand       some  more  from  their  split  races. 
As  you  do  this,  tilt  the  plane  sideways,  but  only  a 


Wood   mold   with   two 
grooves 


76       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

little,  so  as  to  make  the  strips  narrower  on  the  in- 
side (pith  side).  We  then  place  the  strip  in  one  or 
the  other  of  our  wooden  grooves  —  most  appropri- 
ate as  determined  by  the  size  of  the  joint  under  con- 
struction —  with  this  smooth  beveled  edge  and  the 
enamel  surface  lying  against  their  respective  sides 
of  the  groove,  and  proceed  to  cut  down  the  other 
side  to  a  surface  parallel  with  the  face  of  the  mold. 
Plane  a  little  first  on  one,  then  on  the  other  of  these 
split  sides  of  the  strip,  alternately,  until  the  strip 
very  nearly  fits  flush,  with  its  enamel  side  up,  into 
this  wooden  groove,  which  is  larger  than  the  steel 
groove  that  you  will  make  use  of  for  the  final  dress- 
ing-down. 

Before  you  reach  this  stage,  it  will  however  be- 
come necessary  to  adopt  some  method  both  of  hold- 
ing the  strip  while  planing  and  of  guarding  against 
cutting  your  fingers  with  the  razor-like  edges  which 
bamboo  presents  when  cut  to  triangular  form;  for 
no  other  holding  device  can  compare  either  in  sim- 
plicity or  efficiency  with  the  thumb  and  finger  of  one 
hand.  But  if  these  are  unprotected,  as  the  plane 
takes  a  firmer  bite  occasionally,  the  strip  will  be 
pulled  or  pushed  between  the  fingers  and  a  deep  and 
painful  cut  will  result,  which  though  it  may  heal 
readily  enough,  still  it  interferes  with  business.  The 
edges  are  sharp  enough  to  make  a  clean  cut  even 
though  the  heavy  leather  of  an  old  walking-glove, 
which  the  writer  uses  on  .his  left  or  holding  hand; 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  77 

but  if  you  wind  a  few  turns  of  a  one-inch  gauze  roller- 
bandage  around  the  last  joints  of  the  thumb  and 
forefinger  of  that  hand  before  donning  the  glove, 
then  you  are  safe  and  may  plane  away  fearlessly;  or 
a  heavy  canvas  working-glove  of  the  ten-cent-store 
species  may  be  used. 

The  first  planing  may  be  done  with  short,  rapid, 
overlapping  strokes  and  with  the  planing-iron  set 
rather  coarse,  so  that  it  will  cut  comparatively  short 
and  thick  shavings;  but  as  you  approach  closely  to 
the  surface  of  your  steel  mold,  the  blade  is  set  fine 
and  each  stroke  should  be  continuous  from  the  butt 
to  the  smaller  end  of  the  strip;  there  should  be  an 
even,  heavy  pressure  on  the  plane,  and  it  should  be 
pushed  ahead  with  slow  deliberation.  This  last  cau- 
tion is  all-important  when  planing  the  slender  strips 
of  delicate  fly-rod  top-joints,  running  from  less  than 
one-sixteenth  inch  in  diameter  at  their  butt-ends  to 
one-thirty-secondth  at  their  tips.  There  must  be  no 
backing  up  here,  no  lifting  of  the  plane  from  the 
strip  from  start  to  finish  of  the  stroke,  as  such  a 
maneuver  is  likely  to  cause  buckling  and  breakage  of 
the  strip.  And  with  all  planing  the  general  rule 
should  be  regarded  that  applies  to  most  cutting 
tools,  to  cut  with  the  planing-blade  held  a  little 
obliquely.  Also  see  that  the  position  of  the  planing- 
hand  is  not  such  as  to  obstruct  the  free  ejection  of 
shavings  from  the  plane. 

Early  change  in  the  position  of  the  holding-hand, 


78       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

so  soon  as  the  stroke  is  fully  started  —  as  illustrated 
in  Figures  I  and  2  —  is  likewise  an  important  cau- 
tion to  be  heeded  in  the  planing  of  bamboo-strips, 
especially  for  light  tops.  But  if  the  accident  of 
buckling  and  fracture  should  occur,  the  whole  strip 
is  not  necessarily  ruined  for  use;  if  cut  off  and  pieced 
out  with  a  separate  section,  at  exactly  the  point 
A  A  where  a  line-guide  is  subse- 

.        —-r-^ quently    to    be    placed,    such 

»  ^     splinting  with  the  guide  will 

A  — Point  where  strips  join  sufficiently  reinforce  it  at  this 

end     to     end,     and     guide  . 

serving  as  splint  point  so  that  there  will  be  no 

perceptible  weakness  of  the  completed  joint,  as  re- 
gards either  action  or  durability. 

The  holding-hand,  in  the  first  position  shown, 
must  be  only  a  few  inches  in  advance  of  the  plane, 
and  it  is  shifted  forward  for  subsequent  strokes,  as 
the  plane  closely  approaches  it.  The  strip  under 
the  plane  is  pushed  against  the  hand  so  held.  As 
the  second  or  slenderer  half  of  the  strip  is  planed, 
the  holding-hand  is  shifted  to  the  second  position, 
behind  the  plane ;  and  the  thumb  and  forefinger  hold- 
ing the  end  of  the  strip,  which  now  is  lifted  from 
the  groove,  prevent  the  strip  from  being  pulled 
ahead;  and  the  finishing-stroke,  on  the  smaller  half, 
is  a  continuous  one. 

Another  point  in  the  technic  here,  is  that  of  the 
direction  of  the  pressure  imparted  by  the  holding- 
hand's  thumb  and  fingers.  With  the  plane  behind 


Fig.  i 


Fig.  2, 

Planing  the  Strips:     Fig.  i — First  position; 
Fig.  2, — Second  position 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  79 

this  hand  on  starting  to  go  over  the  strip,  they  should 
press  the  strip  down  into  the  groove  and  at  the  same 
time  either  to  the  right  or  left  —  a  lateral  pushing 
or  pulling  —  in  order  to  force  the  rind  side  of  the 
bamboo  firmly  against  its  side  of  the  groove,  and  to 
hold  it  there  and  prevent  its  tilting  away.  When 
the  holding-hand  is  shifted  to  the  second  position, 
the  fingers  twist  the  strip  toward  one  or  the  other 
side  to  accomplish  the  same  end.  Once  again,  heed 
the  caution  always  to  plane  with  the  plane's  face 
parallel  to  the  mold's  surface  —  not  dropped  either 
to  the  right  or  left. 

If  the  above  cautions  be  not  observed,  the  result 
will  be  a  strip  that  is  irregularly  triangular  on  cross- 
section,  with  one  planed  surface  wider  than  the 
other,  as  illustrated,  instead  of  being  symmetrical, 
as  indicated  by  the  dotted  line  in  the  pic- 
ture. To  prevent  a  strip's  thus  "  going 
off  "  lopsidedly,  remember  in  your  planing  Lopsided  strip 
of  sides  alternatingly  that  it  is  principally 
the  narrower  surface  which  requires  correction  in 
order  to  even  up  the  cross-section;  so  make  frequent 
observations  of  your  work  with  this  in  mind.  The 
endeavor  should  be  made  to  have  the  triangular  sec- 
tion equilateral  early  in  the  planing  and  to  keep  it 
so,  rather  than  to  permit  of  carelessness  at  first  with 
the  intention  of  remedying  the  matter  later.  This 
will  save  the  amateur  rod-builder  much  tribulation, 
as  it  is  one  of  the  most  vital  points,  it  being  of  course 


8o       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

impossible  to  make  symmetrical  hexagonal  rod-joints 
out  of  finished  strips  of  irregular  section. 

It  sometimes  is  convenient  to  correct  this  going 
off  from  the  true  equilateral  form,  by  again  using 
your  center-gauge  as  a  scraper.  Fasten  it  upright 
in  the  vise  this  time,  and  draw  the  defective  strip 
through  its  notched  end,  with  pressure  so  regulated 
that  the  scraping  is  done  principally  against  the  nar- 
rowed side  of  the  strip;  this  widens  the  narrow  side 
and  at  the  same  time  narrows  the  side  that  is  too 
wide.  V-notched  truing-scrapers  are  easily  made  by 
notching  the  edge  of  any  piece  of  saw  steel  —  as  a 
cabinet-makers'  scraper,  selling  for  ten  cents  —  by 
means  of  the  common  triangular-section  saw-sharp- 
ening file,  which  has  angles  of  the  required  sixty  de- 
grees. However,  if  due  attention  is  had  to  the 
warnings  already  given,  such  corrective  scraping 
rarely  becomes  necessary. 

As  previously  instructed,  the  planing-iron  is  set 
very  fine,  so  as  to  cut  the  thinnest  possible  shaving, 
for  the  ultimate  planing-down;  and  a  few  short,  light 
final  strokes  are  permissible  over  those  places  felt 
to  be  still  high,  as  tested  by  drawing  the  finger  deli- 
cately across  the  strip  and  the  face  of  the  mold. 
The  smallest  Stanley  plane,  about  three  inches  long, 
is  very  nice  for  this  work.  Keep  the  plane  well 
sharpened  by  frequent  resort  to  the  oilstone.  A 
few  drops  of  thin  oil  placed  occasionally  on  the  metal 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  81 

surface  of  the  mold  are  helpful  after  the  planing- 
iron  begins  to  hug  it  closely. 

The  writer  has  found  it  sufficient  for  the  produc- 
tion of  accurate  joints,  to  finish  his  strips  entirely 
with  the  plane,  except  perhaps  in  the  case  of  tops 
for  the  lighter  fly-rods.  He  finishes  these  by  scrap- 
ing them  lengthwise  with  discarded  safety-razor 
blades,  an  ordinary  razor-blade  removed  from  its 
handle,  a  scissors  blade,  chisel,  planing-iron,  or  a 
common  jack-knife.  Of  file  or  sand-paper  he  makes 
no  use  at  this  stage  of  the  work.  In  making  his 
lighter  top-joints,  he  very  carefully  takes  off  just  the 
feather-edge  at  the  junction  of  the  inner  sides  of  the 
strips,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  question  about  their 
pushing  home  at  the  center  of  the  joint  when  glu- 
ing up;  for  this  delicate  work  the  safety-razor  blade 
is  just  the  thing. 

It  now  is  time  for  the  details  of  the  metal  plan- 
ing- or  finishing-mold  itself,  and  the  manner  of 
its  adjustment  for  getting  out  joints  of  the  definite 
length  and  taper  desired  for  the  rod  that  it  is  deter- 
mined upon  to  build.  This  is  very  simply  con- 
structed of  two  four-foot  bars  of  %-inch  cold-rolled 
steel,  and  it  can  be  made  at  any  machine-shop  at  mod- 
erate expense.  The  illustrations  herewith  will  fully 
explain  exactly  what  is  wanted,  and  the  machinist 
must  be  cautioned  that  the  beveled  edges  must  be 
absolutely  true,  in  order  correctly  to  form  our  sixty- 


8a       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


Fig.    i  —  End    view    of    author's    adjustable    steel    planing-mold    (reduced 

one-half) 

degree-angled  groove  when  the  bars  are  brought  to- 
gether side  by  side.  But  soon  you  will  see  that  they 
are  kept  slightly  apart  in  actual  use,  as  our  taper  is 
obtained  by  the  beautifully  easy  stunt  of  spreading 
the  separate  halves  of  our  mold  obliquely  and  pre- 
cisely to  the  minute  fraction  of  an  inch  required. 
The  center-gauge  will  attest  the  mold's  accuracy. 

The  four  edges  of  each  of  our  square  steel  bars 
are  cut  off,  then,  to  a  bevel  of  the  same  inclination, 
as  above  stated,  but  presenting  faces  of  varying 
widths,  respectively  as  follows:  %2,  KG,  H,  and  %G 
of  an  inch.  The  bars  are  held  in  any  degree  and 
position  of  separation  wanted,  by  means  of  right- 
angled  braces,  secured  by  appropriate  screws  to  their 
respective  bars,  and  the  whole  is  fastened  to  a  base 
of  any  well-seasoned  wood  plank  about  six  inches 
in  width,  one  inch  thick,  and  having  an  unwarped 
surface.  The  short  or  upright  arm  of  the  braces  is 
%  of  an  inch  long;  the  long  or  horizontal  arm  is  one 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  83 

inch;  and  they  are  one-inch  wide.  Machine-screws, 
%e  inch  in  diameter  and  with  rounding  heads,  secure 
the  bar-arms  of  the  braces  to  the  bars.  The  longer 
arms  are  fastened  to  the  wooden  baseboard  by  one- 
inch  wood-screws  having  rounded  heads,  and  small 
iron  washers  are  used  under  their  heads.  The  holes 
in  both  arms  of  the  braces  are  made  larger  than 
needed  merely  to  accommodate  the  screws,  to  per- 
mit of  considerable  play  and  consequent  separation 
of  the  halves  of  the  mold.  If  desiring  still  more  to 
increase  this  range  of  side-play  of  the  bars,  you  can 
enlarge  the  screw  holes  in  the  long  arms  of  the 
braces  by  filing  them  out  with  a  small  rat-tail  file, 
thus  converting  these  round  holes  into  slots.  Five 
pairs  of  braces,  centered  10%  inches  apart,  are  used; 
and  note,  as  shown  in  the  Fig.  2  illustration  of  the 
mold,  that  it  will  be  an  added  convenience  in  adjust- 
ing it  to  have  the  screws  that  secure  the  long  arms 
set  to  one  side  of  those  fastening  the  short  arms, 
instead  of  having  the  two  sets  of  screws  line  up 
opposite ;  thus  they  will  not  interfere  with  each  other. 
The  whole  arrangement  is  at  once  understood  by 
reference  to  the  diagrammatic  illustrations,  Fig.  i 
representing  a  sectional  or  end  view,  and  Fig.  2 
being  a  top  view  of  the  mold.  It  remains  but  to  ex- 
plain its  adjustment.  Suppose,  for  example,  it  is 
desired  to  make  a  butt-joint  3%  feet  long,  having  a 
diameter  of  %  inch  at  its  larger  end  and  of  %  inch 
at  its  smaller  end  —  measuring,  please  remember, 


84       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

from  angle  to  angle.  Marks  on  the  baseboard,  at 
A  and  B  in  Fig.  2  will  note  the  length  of  3%  feet, 
A  being  at  the  butt  or  larger  end  of  the  proposed 
rod-joint.  (But  be  it  understood  that  the  bamboo- 


B*-"A--^0 

B 

B                            E    _^ 

j\H                til 

(3 

Q       /\     Q     ' 

Fig.  2  — '  Top  view  of  steel  planing-mold 

strips  should  be  left  a  little  longer  than  the  com- 
pleted rod-section,  to  allow  for  trimming  at  the 
ends.)  We  separate  the  mold-halves  at  this  point 
so  that  the  space  from  bevel-edge  to  bevel-edge  at 
the  mold's  surface  is  exactly  /4  inch,  or  half  the 
diameter  wanted  there  for  the  completed  joint;  and 
we  separate  the  edges  %e  inch  at  B. 

The  particular  beveled  faces  or  edges  of  the  mold 
that  we  make  use  of  for  our  groove,  whether  one  of 
the  narrower  or  wider  ones,  are  those  best  facilitat- 
ing the  construction  of  a  joint  of  the  special  diameter 
wanted,  though  the  narrowest  bevel  may  be  used 
for  any  joint,  if  so  desiring;  we  practically  are  un- 
limited as  to  the  larger  rod-calibers  that  may  be 
produced,  but  the  minimum  is  gauged  by  the  %2- 
inch  beveled  edges,  which,  when  brought  close  to- 
gether at  one  end  of  the  mold,  enable  us  to  get  out 
the  component  strips  for  a  top-joint  Me  inch  wide 
at  its  tip.  But  this  may  be  further  reduced  when 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS  85 

the  joint  is  sandpapered  after  gluing;  and  such  trim- 
ming-down of  the  small  end  of  glued-up  top-joints 
may  be  resorted  to  with  impunity  since  here  we  are 
dealing  with  such  a  small  caliber  that  the  whole  thick- 
ness of  the  joint  is  solid  fiber. 

Months  after  I  had  worked  out  the  details  of  my 
steel  planing-mold  and  had  used  it  with  great  satis- 
faction, it  was  with  no  little  interest  that  I  noted  the 
description  of  a  "  shooting-board,"  by  G.  Handle 
of  Plymouth,  England,  and  communicated  by  him 
to  Mr.  Marston's  famous  Fishing  Gazette.  As  will 
be  seen,  this  is  an  adjustable  planing-board  con- 
structed of  wood.  Mr.  Handle  says : 

"  During  the  past  twelve  months  I  have  made 
some  half-dozen  split-cane  rods  by  means  of  a  shoot- 
ing-board made  as  follows :  Get  a  piece  of  seasoned 


X 


SECTION 


AB 


Handle's  adjustable  wood  planing-board 

yellow  pine,  8  inches  wide,  i%  inch  thick,  and  5  feet 
long.  Plane  one  side  true  and  straight.  Get  two 
pieces  of  seasoned  mahogany  the  same  length,  3 
inches  wide,  and  about  i  inch  thick.  Bevel  the  edges 


86       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

as  shown  in  the  sketch.  Screw  these  pieces  to  the 
pine  board.  The  piece  marked  A  is  made  to  slide 
about  %  inch  by  cutting  slots  for  the  screws  to  travel 
in.  This  will  allow  the  strips  of  cane  to  be  planed 
of  varying  sections  as  required  for  the  several  pieces 
of  the  rod.  The  edges  of  the  mahogany  must  be 
accurately  beveled.  Both  edges  of  A  can  be  beveled, 
one  edge  for  the  tops  of  the  rods,  the  other,  when 
reversed,  for  the  remaining  pieces." 

A  very  practical  point  in  rod-building  that  chal- 
lenges attention  during  planing  operations,  is  that 
the  coarse,  earlier  planing  is  accomplished  with  very 
much  greater  rapidity  than  are  the  finishing-strokes, 
where  careful  deliberation  must  be  practised;  it  also 
is  very  apparent  how  much  more  quickly  than  the 
smaller  ones  the  larger  joints  are  turned  out. 
Again,  if  one  job  be  made  of  the  rougher  planing 
on  butt-  and  middle-joints  for  several  different  rods, 
much  time  is  saved  that  otherwise  would  be  em- 
ployed in  setting  the  planing-blade  —  changing  from 
coarse  to  fine  and  back  again.  Then,  too,  it  is  eco- 
nomical to  have  two  planes.  Further,  top-joints  will 
be  built  by  the  beginner  much  more  readily  —  and 
they  will  be  better  built —  after  previous  experience 
on  the  larger  sections.  The  gluing,  ferrule-setting, 
and  permanent  windings  likewise  are  much  easier 
work  for  the  novice  when  dealing  with  the  larger 
joints,  and  previous  practise  here  simplifies  these  de- 
tails as  applied  to  the  more  delicate  tops. 


PLANING  THE  STRIPS 


87 


From  all  of  the  foregoing  the  observant  reader 
will  rightly  conclude  that  he  can  complete  four  rods, 
for  example,  if  working  on  all  four  together,  in  much 
less  than  four  times  the  period  that  would  be  re- 
quired for  one  alone.  He  can  do  all  his  splitting 
and  assembling,  all  his  rough  and  then  the  fine  plan- 
ing, all  gluing  up,  the  ferrule-fitting,  all  windings,  and 
finally  the  varnishing,  making  a  finish  of  each  of  these 
procedures  in  the  order  noted,  and  so  "  getting  his 
hand  in  "  on  each  that  the  bunch  of  rods  is  run 
through  in  a  surprisingly  short  time. 

The  preliminary  planing  of  most  commercial 
"  handmade  "  rods  is  done  on  a  planing  machine, 
only  the  final,  accurate  trimming  of  the  strips  being 
accomplished  with  a  hand  plane,  when  a  long,  jointer 


Planing-mold  with   side   track 

plane  may  be  used.  The  beveling  may  be  done  by 
feeding  the  strips  to  two  rotary  saws  or  cutters  set 
at  an  angle  of  sixty  degrees  to  each  other,  and  the 
tapering  accomplished  by  the  automatic  raising  of 
a  strip  into  the  apex  of  the  angle  formed  by  the 
cutters  as  its  small  end  approaches  them.  In  finish- 


88       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

ing  up  with  the  jointer  plane,  a  wooden  mold  may  be 
used,  and  the  plane  may  travel  on  a  track  attached 
to  the  sides  of  the  mold  and  which  permits  the 
planing-iron  just  to  clear  the  mold's  surface  and  thus 
prevents  it  from  touching  and  cutting  into  it. 


ROD-MAKING: 
ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING 


CHAPTER  V 

ROD-MAKING:  ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD 
PLOTTING 

The  novice  is  now  much  better  prepared  than  he 
was  at  the  beginning  of  this  discussion  of  rod-making, 
to  digest  profitably  the  somewhat  more  technical  data 
regarding  rod  tapers,  and  for  suggestions  how  to 
plan  a  rod;  hence  the  postponement  of  this  chapter 
until  the  present  time. 

A  general  principle  that  we  regard  as  fundamental 
is  that  the  butt-joint  should  be  enough  heavier  than 
the  middle-joint,  and  this  second-joint  enough  heav- 
ier than  the  top-joint,  so  that  the  hand  wielding  the 
rod  senses  that  it  has  perfect  control  of  the  rod-tip 
from  its  hold  upon  the  handgrasp.  In  other  words, 
the  rod  should  not  have  the  topheavy  feeling  im- 
parted by  a  jerky  top.  Some  foreign  rods,  prin- 
cipally of  the  extra  long,  two-handed  variety  for 
salmon  fishing,  are  purposely  thus  made  to  give  a 
kind  of  kick  in  throwing  out  the  line  —  such  as  the 
Irish,  Castleconnell  rods  —  but  personally  we  very 
much  dislike  this  peculiarity  of  action. 

Two  split-cane  rods  of  identical  caliber  and  weight 
will  rarely  have  exactly  the  same  action,  because  the 
qualities  of  the  bamboo  will  differ,  and  however  lit- 

91 


92       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

tie,  it  yet  is  sufficient  to  impart  a  distinctive  "  feel " 
to  each  one  of  the  rods.  Then,  again,  individual 
tastes  differ  as  to  just  what  particular  feel  is  most 
acceptable;  hence  subtle  refinements  of  action  ob- 
tained by  hollowing  out  the  lines  of  a  rod  at  one 
point,  and  by  giving  them  a  swell  at  another  place, 
are  worked  out  as  the  result  of  considerable  expe- 
rience both  in  the  making  and  the  using  of  rods. 
Therefore,  beyond  a  certain  point,  it  is  practicable 
to  offer  data  only  as  a  basis  for  the  reader's  endea- 
vors and  not  as  an  absolute  guide. 

This  means  that  no  matter  how  good  may  be  the 
first  rod  put  together  by  the  beginner  —  and  the 
chances  are  very  much  in  favor  of  its  being  far  supe- 
rior to  any  of  the  cheaper  ones  that  he  can  buy  — 
that  rod  will  not  satisfy  him  for  long;  for  after  a 
thorough  testing  out  he  soon  will  see  how  he  can 
improve  upon  it  —  or  at  any  rate  he  will  believe  that 
he  does.  But  between  guiding  principles  and  some 
definite  detail,  we  can  put  the  amateur  rod-builder  in 
possession  of  information  sufficient  to  start  him  on 
his  way  rejoicing. 

For  a  rod  for  fishing  with  the  fly,  good  results 
may  be  obtained  in  one  having  a  straight  or  even 
taper  throughout,  from  butt5  to  tip ;  and  by  varying 
the  caliber  of  such  a  rod,  almost  any  degree  of  stiff- 
ness or  flexibility  of  practical  purport  may  be  ob- 

6  "  Butt "  may  refer  to  the  large  end  of  the  whole  rod,  to  the  larger  end 
of  any  joint  or  complete  single  section,  or  to  the  whole  of  the  first  or 
heaviest  joint  of  the  rod. 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING       93 

tained.  But  a  rod  may  be  built  on  a  swelled  or  con- 
vex taper,  that  will  have  a  superior  action;  and  by 
looking  at  the  diagrams  below,  showing  just  what  is 
meant  by  a  straight,  a  compound-straight,  a  concave, 
and  a  convex  taper,  one  will  immediately  recognize 
that  the  lines  of  the  latter  are  the  same  as  those 
which  experience  has  proven  most  acceptable  for 
flagstaffs  and  ships'  spars  —  which  also  are  subjected 
to  persistent  bending  strains. 

Whatever  the  style  of  taper  of  the  rest  of  the  rod, 
in  any  event  pattern  the  slender  top-joint  after  the 


4C 


Different  tapers:    (i)    Straight;    (2)    Compound  straight  or  Scotch; 
(3)   Concave  or  hollow;   (4)   Convex  or  swelled 

lines  suggested  by  Figures  2  or  4.  It  is  very  im- 
portant for  best  results  that  the  fullness  at  the  butt 
of  the  top-joint  be  carried  well  forward  until  about 
the  outer  half  of  the  joint  is  reached,  when  the  cal- 
iber may  fall  away  pretty  sharply  from  there  on  to 
the  very  tip.  As  already  mentioned,  the  extreme 
outer  end  may  be  further  or  wholly  so  reduced  with 
sandpaper  —  in  the  case  especially  of  the  finer  tops 
—  after  gluing  up.  Other  methods  of  accomplish- 
ing a  similar  result  will  be  noted  later  on. 


94       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

In  planning  a  rod  to  have  a  straight  or  uniformly- 
graduated  taper  from  butt  to  tip,  the  caliber  of  that 
rod  at  any  cross-section  throughout  its  length  is  read- 
ily determined  by  means  of  a  diagram  plotted  as  we 
will  now  explain;  and  even  if  it  be  not  intended  to 
have  your  rod  of  an  absolutely  uniform  taper,  such 
a  diagram  nevertheless  furnishes  a  convenient  basis 
for  whatever  modifications  may  be  determined  upon, 
and  lets  the  reader  into  the  secret  of  how  he  may 
design  a  rod  of  any  taper  or  combination  of  tapers 
desired. 


Taper  diagram  for  plotting  rod 

Say  that  we  have  in  mind  a  fly-rod  of  ten  feet  in 
length,  of  Vie  inch  diameter  where  the  butt  joins  the 
handgrasp,  and  Me  inch  at  the  tip.  We  will  reduce 
it  to  a  drawing  in  this  way,  each  quarter-inch  of 
length  in  our  illustration  representing  one  foot  of 
actual  rod-length.  In  practise  we  prefer  to  have  the 
drawing  on  a  larger  scale,  so  that  each  iVa  inches 
represents  a  foot,  when  %  inch  then  represents  an 
inch  of  the  real  rod  and  %e  inch  stands  for  a  half- 
inch.  The  diameters  of  your  rod  are  the  actual 
lengths  of  these  cross-lines  of  your  diagram,  at  the 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING       95 

cross-sections  marked  respectively  I,  2,  3,  4  feet, 
etc.,  from  the  butt  end. 

Next  we  must  get  the  diameters  of  the  respective 
ends  of  our  middle-joint,  the  rod  being  composed  of 
three  joints  or  pieces;  and  for  the  reason  that  we 
prefer  all  three  completed  joints  to  be  of  the  same 
length,  and  because  allowance  must  be  made  for  the 
ferrule  lengths,  this  is  not  so  absolutely  simple  as  it 
might  seem.  For  perfect  accuracy  in  our  figures 
certain  ferrule  kngths  must  be  known  before  we  can 
ascertain  the  diameters  of  the  joints  at  the  points 
where  the  selected  ferrules  are  to  be  located. 

The  butt  male  (inner  or  center)  ferrule  of  the 
middle-joint  will  be  seated  about  i/4  inches  in  the 
female  or  outer  ferrule  at  the  smaller  end  of  the 
butt-joint,  and  the  top-joint  ferrule  will  seat  about 
il/s  inches  in  its  companion  half;  thus  the  total  length 
of  the  rod  when  jointed  up  will  be  2%  inches  shorter 
than  the  total  length  of  its  three  joints  or  parts  if 
placed  simply  end  to  end,  without  engaging  the  fer- 
rules. We  want  a  total  length,  jointed,  of  ten  feet 
or  1 20  inches;  then  we  must  have  a  total  length,  un- 
jointed,  of  122.375  inches,  to  be  divided  equally  into 
three  parts.  This  gives  40.79  inches  for  each  com- 
pleted joint,  including  the  projecting  ferrules.  The 
female  or  projecting  ferrule  of  the  first-  or  butt-joint 
reaching  i/4  inches  (the  depth  that  the  male  half 
seats)  beyond  the  wood,  gives  40.79  less  i%,  or 
39.54  inches,  for  the  actual  wood  length  of  that 


96       THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

joint  (it  being  understood  that  some  ten  to  twelve 
inches  of  handgrasp  are  included  in  this  joint,  in 
the  completed  rod)  ;  the  corresponding  ferrule-half 
of  the  second-joint  projecting  i%  inches,  leaves  that 
amount  less  than  40.79,  or  39.665  inches,  for  the 
wood  length  of  the  second-joint.  The  way  that  it 
works  out  is  shown  in  our  next  illustration. 

Going  back  now   to   our  previous   diagram,   we 
measure  39.54  inches   from  A,  which  gives   B   as 


.  6(,  S 


Finding   the   joint   wood-lengths  —  io-foot    rod 

the  actual  common  caliber  of  the  adjoining  ends  of 
the  first-  and  second-joints;  measuring,  once  more, 
39.665  inches  from  the  point  B,  gives  us  C  as  the 
remaining  caliber  wanted.  We  now  know  the  length 
of  each  of  our  bamboo-joints  irrespective  of  the  fer- 
rules,  and  we  know  the  diameters  of  the  respective 
ends  of  these  joints  or  pieces  of  the  rod,  and  can 
proceed  to  set  our  metal  grooved-mold  accordingly, 
using  half  of  each  of  these  diameters  as  the  measure- 
ments from  bevel-edge  to  bevel-edge  across  the  face 
of  the  mold,  in  getting  out  the  component  joint- 
strips.  Of  course  we  maintain  the  mold  so  set,  by 
tightening  up  the  screws. 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING       97 

The  reader  might  be  interested  to  learn  what 
analysis  of  the  lines  of  some  of  the  best  professional- 
made  rods  would  reveal  as  to  tapers.  We  are 
pleased  that  we  can  satisfy  this  very  natural  curios- 
ity. The  rods  that  the  author  calipered,  at  every 
foot  throughout  their  lengths,  are  respectively  the 
most  famous  American  and  British  makes.  The 
former  is  eight  feet  long  and  weighs  three  and  one- 
half  ounces;  the  latter  is  nine  and  one-half  feet  and 
weighs  six  and  one-quarter  ounces  (a  dry-fly  rod). 
Each  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  length  of  the  diagram 
represents  one  foot  of  rod-length.  The  actual  diam- 
eters that  the  rods  calipered  at  each  foot  of  their 
individual  lengths  are  indicated  by  the  figures  in 
fractions  of  an  inch.  By  multiplying  these  by  four 
(in  the  original  drawing),  we  obtained  —  in  an 
exaggerated  form,  for  easier  perception  —  the 
widths  which,  connected  by  the  solid  longitudinal 
lines,  give  the  lines  of  the  rods;  and  these  may  be 
compared  with  the  dotted  lines  in  the  diagram, 
which  represent  straight-tapered  rods. 

Another  clue  to  some  of  the  underlying  principles 
of  successful  rod-construction  is  furnished  by  noting 
the  point  of  balance  —  where  the  rod  will  balance 
when  held  at  one  point  horizontally,  as  across  the 
finger  —  in  some  of  the  highest-grade  productions. 
In  two  famous  makes  of  American  rods,  tested  with- 
out attached  reel,  Mr.  Charles  Zibeon  Southard 
gives  these  figures:  31  inches  from  the  butt  end  of 


£  £ 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING       99 

handgrasp,  in  a  9-foot  rod  weighing  3%  ounces; 
31%  inches,  in  a  9/^foot  rod  weighing  4  ounces; 
34%  inches,  in  a  lo-foot  rod  weighing  5  ounces. 
Rods  from  the  other  maker  showed:  31%  inches,  in 
a  9%-foot  rod  weighing  4%  ounces ;  and  34%  inches, 
in  a  i  o- foot  rod  weighing  5%  ounces.  The  in- 
creased weight  of  the  handgrasp  in  a  detachable- 
handle  rod  —  because  of  the  extra  ferrule  —  would 
bring  the  balancing-point  or  center  of  gravity  nearer 
to  the  butt  end. 

In  the  endeavor  to  copy  in  a  duplicate  the  exact 
action  of  any  particular  rod,  these  balancing-points 
should  coincide;  so,  too,  should  the  extent  of  the 
vertical  deflection  from  the  horizontal  of  the  respec- 
tive tips,  under  the  influence  of  a  definite  weight  at- 
tached —  say  of  one  or  two  ounces  —  when  the 
butts  of  the  jointed-up  rods  are  held  securely;  and 
further,  so  should  the  rate  of  the  vibrations  of  the 
rods  be  the  same  when,  still  held  as  above,  they  are 
set  to  working.  Says  Mr.  Ralph  L.  Montagu  of 
Oroville,  Calif.:  "In  order  to  make  this  test,  the 
handle  of  the  fully-jointed  rod  should  be  held  in  a 
vise  "  or  blocked  up  on  the  end  of  a  table  and 
"  firmly  held  by  an  assistant.  Now,  by  pressing 
down  on  the  rod  near  the  handle,  get  it  vibrating  up 
and  down;  as  soon  as  the  vibrations  become  reg- 
ular, get  out  your  watch  and  count  the  number  per 
minute,  using  a  finger  to  touch  the  rod  lightly  each 
time  it  comes  up,  and  thus  continuing  its  full  swing." 


ioo     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

The  downward  deflection  of  the  tip  from  the  hori- 
zontal without  any  weight  attached  is  termed  the 
"  free  deflection."  Mr.  Montagu  gives  the  follow- 
ing data  concerning  "  a  very  perfect  dry-fly  rod  made 
by  a  manufacturer  with  a  world-wide  reputation : 
Length,  9%.  feet;  weight,  6  ounces;  free  deflection, 
6  inches;  deflection  with  i -ounce  weight,  19%  inches, 
with  2-ounce  weight,  33  inches;  vibrations  per  min- 
ute, 106."  The  stiffer  the  rod  the  "  quicker  "  it  is 
—  the  more  vibrations  per  minute;  the  "  soft "  rod 
is  a  "  slow  "  one.  "  A  good  rod  should  have  not 
less  than  one-hundred  vibrations  per  minute."  We 
also  might  note  here  that  for  best  results  in  a  rod 
designed  for  dry-fly  fishing  it  is  enlarged  or  made 
extra  stocky  toward  the  extreme  butt. 

When  it  comes  to  a  rod  for  bait-fishing,  and  to 
the  construction  of  a  short,  Western-style  rod  for 
casting  artificial  bait  from  the  reel,  better  results  are 
attained  for  the  special  work  required  if  these  rods 
are  relatively  stiffer  at  the  tip  and  for  some  distance 
back  than  obtains  in  a  fly-rod.  We  will  achieve 
this  effect  by  having  a  more  markedly  divergent  taper 
near  the  lighter  end.  In  the  case  of  our  ten-foot 
fly-rod,  as  plotted  —  which  is  a  rod  having  consid- 
erable backbone  —  a  very  satisfactory  result  will  be 
produced  by  making  an  additional,  bait  top  that  shall 
be  just  one  foot  shorter  than  the  fly  top-joint,  and  by 
tapering  it  in  a  swelled  fashion  from  the  caliber  at 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING      101 

C  to  from  2^/2  to  %2  of  an  inch  in  diameter  at  its 
.  tip. 

You  will  want  two  fly  tops  and  two  bait  tops  for 
this  rod,  top-joints  being  always  supplied  in  dupli- 
cate with  rods  from  the  dealer's  as  they  are  the 
parts  most  frequently  broken.  Sample  dimensions 
for  the  short,  bait-casting  rod  mentioned  above  will 
be  given  later. 

We  now  have  planned  a  ten-foot  fly-rod  weighing 
about  seven  ounces  and  suitable  for  heavy  fresh- 
water angling,  which  with  its  shorter  and  stiffer  top 
makes  a  very  effective  nine-foot  bait-rod.  For  a 
second,  lighter  but  very  serviceable  all-around  fly- 
rod,  the  writer  advises  one  of  nine  feet,  having  a  butt 
caliber  of  %  inch  at  the  handgrasp  junction  and 
measuring  YIQ  inch  at  tip;  and  a  more  flexible  rod, 
of  very  sweet  action  but  still  having  plenty  of 
"  ginger  ",  is  achieved  by  using  the  same  size  fer- 
rules while  drawing  the  rod  out  to  a  total  length  of 
nine  and  one-half  feet,  the  extra  six  inches  represent- 
ing an  addition  at  the  butt  —  which  somewhat  in- 
creases the  diameter  just  above  the  grasp  —  and 
especial  care  being  taken  to  see  that  the  full  diam- 
eters of  the  whole  of  the  butt-joint  are  not  skimped. 
To  secure  the  nicest  action  for  fly-rods,  do  not 
have  the  diameter  at  the  butt  end  of  the  butt-joint 
any  oversize  (unless  deliberately  so  for  special,  dry- 
fly  work)  ;  the  same  caution  applies  with  even  more 


102     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

emphasis  to  the  top  end  of  the  middle-joint;  but  be 
sure  to  have  the  butt  end  of  the  top-joint  fully  up 
to  the  measure,  and  to  lighten  the  outer  half  of  this 
section  as  already  mentioned.  The  reason  why  the 
delicate  top-joint  of  a  properly-proportioned  rod 
that  is  skilfully  handled  is  sufficient  to  withstand  all 
legitimate  stress,  is  because  a  steadily-increasing 
strain  is  continuously  thrown  back  upon  the  stronger 
parts  of  the  rod.  But  when  the  butt  of  the  top- 
joint  is  too  slender  and  joins  with  a  middle-joint 
small  end  that  is  too  stiff,  then  the  strain  on  the  top 
is  not  progressively  and  properly  transferred  to  the 
middle-joint,  which  is  the  prime  factor  in  the  rod's 
action.  A  weak  middle-joint  means  a  vitally  weak 
rod,  irrespective  of  any  other  features,  and  it  means 
a  rod  with  a  "  kick."  Also  be  it  understood  that 
owing  to  the  bracing  and  distributing,  truss  effect  of 
the  line  strung  through  the  guides  of  a  rod,  the  rod 
will  bear  much  more  strain  than  if  the  line  simply 
were  fastened  to  its  tip. 

The  reader  will  be  interested  to  know  what  is 
meant  by  a  "  double-built "  rod.  This  construction 
includes  twelve  instead  of  six  strips  to  a  joint,  for  a 
hexagonal  cross-section,  and  the  diagram  illustrates 
their  arrangement.  It  might  at  first  glance  seem 
that  this  involves  just  double  the  work  in  planing 
and  gluing,  but  such  is  not  the  case.  To  produce 
this  joint,  the  builder  proceeds  simply  to  glue  to- 
gether two  thinner  bamboo-strips  to  make  the  rec- 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING      103 

tangular  strip,  preliminary  to  planing  to  the  trian- 
gular shape.  After  filing  the  knots,  and  straighten- 
ing his  strips,  he  planes  down  a  half- 
dozen  on  the  pith  side  to  but  half  the 
full  thickness  wanted.  The  other 
six  strips,  after  receiving  the  same  cross-section  of  dou- 
treatment,  he  files  crosswise  on  the 
enamel  side  just  enough  to  flatten  this  surface  for  a 
glue  joint;  the  plane  will  not  bite  efficiently  on  this 
glossy,  outside  surface  of  the  bamboo.  When  glued 
together,  each  double  or  compound  strip  will  pre- 
sent on  cross-section  the  appearance  shown.  The 
further  treatment  of  these  double 
strips  is  identical  with  that  of  simple 
strips,  as  already  detailed,  the  result 
A  double  or  com-  being  as  the  dotted  V  of  the  illustra- 

pound    strip  . 

tion.  In  gluing  together  the  halves 
of  each  strip,  the  knots  are  slipped  or  staggered  as 
well  as  when  gluing  up  the  completed  strips  into 
joints. 

There  is  one  situation  where  the  expedient  of 
double-built  joints  is  of  practical  advantage,  and  that 
is  in  building  butt-  and  middle-joints  of  very  large 
caliber  —  as  for  salmon  or  salt-water  rods.  It  also 
will  be  the  resort  at  any  time  when  you  desire  to  con- 
struct a  solid-fiber  butt-joint  and  when  a  single  thick- 
ness of  the  stock  on  hand  is  scant  for  the  purpose. 
You  also  can  employ  this  method  in  combining  the 
handsomer  Calcutta  bamboo  on  the  outside,  for 


io4     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

looks,  with  the  Tonkin  on  the  inside  of  the  joints, 
for  service,  making  the  Calcutta  strips  exceedingly 
thin  —  a  mere  veneer.  Double-built  construction  is 
not  practicable  for  top-joints  except  the  very  heav- 
iest. 

A  brief  description  here  of  the  various  classes  of 
rods,  their  dimensions  and  distinctive  uses,  will  be 
appropriate.  Rods  for  fresh-water  angling  com- 
prise trout  fly-rods,  salmon  rods,  bait-rods,  and  the 
Kalamazoo  or  short  rod  that  in  recent  years  has 
been  designated  as  the  "  bait-casting  "  rod.  Certain 
kinds  either  of  live  or  artificial  bait  are  properly 
cast  with  the  standard,  long  bait-rod  —  and  at  times 
the  quarry  is  thus  more  pleasurably  played,  and  in  a 
manner  more  sportsmanlike;  but  the  distinctive  ap- 
pellation of  "  bait-casting  "  rod  has  come  to  denote 
a  stiffish,  short  implement,  preferably  between  the 
length  limits  of  five  to  six  feet,  and  which  is  used  for 
casting  particularly  the  heavier  kinds  of  artificial 
bait  —  more  frequently  a  wooden  minnow  or  some 
other  form  of  "  plug  "  —  the  line  running  directly 
from  a  quadruple-multiplying  reel  as  the  cast  is  made. 
It  is  a  Western  style,  very  effective  in  bass  fishing 
under  certain  conditions,  is  favored  by  many  anglers 
for  maskinonge  in  preference  to  trolling,  and  has 
been  adopted  to  some  extent  even  for  trout  and  for 
salt-water  fishing.  It  requires  a  distinctive  and  very 
interesting  technic,  and  the  sport  also  is  similar  to 
fishing  with  the  artificial  fly  in  that  the  angler  goes 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING      105 

after  his  fish  instead  of  waiting  for  the  fish  to  come 
to  him. 

The  salmon  rod  is  an  overgrown  trout  fly-rod, 
suited  for  its  use  in  killing  the  larger  and  heavier 
fish.  Salmon  fishing  has  been  much  more  extensively 
indulged  in  abroad  than  in  the  United  States;  con- 
sequently the  prevailing  popular  style  of  salmon 
tackle  was  until  somewhat  recently  dictated  wholly 
by  the  ideas  of  foreign  makers,  principally  English, 
Scotch,  or  Irish.  These  formerly  were  accustomed 
to  produce  absurdly  formidable  affairs  in  salmon 
rods,  running  to  twenty  feet  in  length  and  weighing 
several  pounds.  But  the  influence  of  the  combined 
elegance  and  efficiency  of  the  lighter,  American 
trout-rods  was  reflected  in  the  sphere  of  salmon- 
fishing  tackle,  so  that  now  one  rarely  finds  a  rod  of 
over  sixteen  feet  in  the  hands  of  a  modern  salmon- 
angler;  and  many  of  them  are  shorter  than  this. 
Thus  a  recent  number  of  the  London  Fishing  Gazette 
tells  about  one  British  angler  writing  another:  UI 
once  owned  an  1 8-foot  greenheart  salmon-rod,  but 
induced  a  naval  officer,  ordered  to  British  Columbia, 
to  accept  it  as  a  present  —  sheer  luck  this,  of  course. 
I  also  owned  two  ly-footers;  one  of  these  a  friendly 
Hussar  put  permanently  out  of  business  the  first 
morning  he  borrowed  it,  but  the  other  one  I  can 
neither  sell  nor  lose,  and  keep  for  lending  to  friends, 
with  the  result  that  they  soon  buy  rods  for  them- 
selves. This  would  really  suit  you  admirably  if 


io6     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

you  'd  care  to  buy  it  cheap;  it 's  by  a  leading  Scotch 
maker,  and  being  twenty  years  old  is  thoroughly 
seasoned.  I  have  three  i6-footers.  One  was  orig- 
inally bought  for  mahseer  and  is  too  powerful  for 
most  any  other  fish.  Another  was  given  to  me  by 
J.  F.  G.,  nearly  twenty  years  ago,  when  he  took  en- 
tirely to  split-cane.  It  was  washiba  wood  —  since 
furnished  with  greenheart  butt  and  top  —  made  by 
Harold,  of  Mallow.  It  has  killed  its  thousandth 
fish  and  is  my  favorite  rod.  The  third  is  also  a 
daisy,  by  Farlow,  in  two  splices.  But  I  am  getting 
on  towards  middle-age,  and  want  a  '  de  luxe '  rod. 
These  i6-footers  of  mine  weigh  42  ounces,  39  ounces, 
and  38%  ounces,  respectively.  Now  Hardy's  split- 
bamboo  i6-footers  weigh  from  28  to  32  ounces. 
True,  their  price  is  a  stomachache,  but  —  well  — 
perhaps  to  celebrate  peace  — ." 

The  best  British  casting  records  made  with  rods 
of  any  length  have  been  exceeded  by  American  cast- 
ers with  fifteen-foot  rods,  weighing  about  twenty-five 
ounces.  Both  hands  are  used  on  the  rod  in  making 
the  cast  with  the  typical  salmon-rod;  it  is  a  two- 
handed  rod,  and  the  butt  and  grasp  are  modified 
accordingly. 

We  will  now  note  some  of  the  standard  sizes  and 
weights  of  different  kinds  of  modern  fresh-water 
bamboo  rods,  omitting  extended  reference  to  troll- 
ing-rods  because  the  bait-casting  rod  with  longer  and 
heavier  top  answers  every  purpose  for  this  style  of 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING     107 

angling.  The  figures  given  are  subject  to  some 
slight  changes  owing  to  the  varying  weights  of  dif- 
ferent samples  of  bamboo-cane,  and  to  differences  in 
the  windings  and  metal  fittings  of  completed  rods. 
The  style  of  handgrasp  and  whether  a  rod  is  fitted 
with  metal  (solid)  reelseat  or  simple  reel-bands 
(skeleton  reelseat)  also  are  important  modi- 
fying factors  of  the  total  weight.  According 
to  the  rules  of  tournament  casting,  three-quar- 
ters of  an  ounce  may  be  deducted  from  the  total 
weight  either  for  a  solid  reelseat  or  for  the  extra 
pair  of  ferrules  necessitated  with  the  independent 
grasp.  Keeping  these  qualifications  in  mind,  we  may 
make  the  general  statement  that  fly-rods  for  trout 
and  bass  fishing  range  from  eight  feet  in  length  and 
weighing  four  ounces,  to  eleven  feet  with  a  weight 
of  nine  ounces;  though  a  ten-foot  rod  weighing  seven 
ounces,  or  not  much  more,  will,  except  in  rare  in- 
stances, be  the  advisable  extreme  for  heavy  rods  of 
this  class.  For  bass  fishing,  we  recommend  nothing 
under  nine  feet,  and  weighing  six  ounces  —  or  five 
and  one-half  at  the  very  least.  An  8%-foot  rod 
ordinarily  weighs  about  4%  ounces;  one  of  9%  feet, 
6  ounces;  and  of  io/£  feet,  8  ounces.  Rods  are 
made  to  weigh  much  under  these  figures;  split-bam- 
boos have  been  constructed,  from  seven  to  eight 
feet  in  length,  that  would  scale  one  and  three-quar- 
ters ounces  —  perchance  even  less,  for  all  we  know. 
It  hardly  is  necessary  to  state  that  such  phenomenally 


io8     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

light  creations  are  suitable  only  for  the  maker's 
exhibit  of  his  technical  skill  or  as  pretty  toys  for  the 
collection  of  the  financially  plethoric  anglermaniac. 

As  to  calibers,  the  8-  and  8%-foot  rods  will  meas- 
ure about  %2  of  an  inch  at  the  extreme  butt  end  and 
a  scant  %2  at  the  extreme  tip;  the  same  sizes  of  fer- 
rules, 1%4  inch  and  %2,  will  be  used  for  both. 
Nine-  and  9^-foot  rods  will  be  J%2  to  1%2  inch  at 
butt  and  %2  to  2^/32  at  tip;  and  will  take  ferrules 
of  *%4  or  x%4  and  1%4  inch.  Ten-  to  n-foot  rods 
will  measure  from  x%2  to  1%2  inch  at  butt  and  from 
2^/32  to  %2  inch  at  tip;  taking  ferrules  of  either 
19/64,  21/c4  or  22/64  and  12/64,  13/64  or  l%4  inch.  The 
actual  diameters  of  stock  ferrules  may  vary  minutely 
from  their  sizes  as  listed  by  the  dealer. 

With  rods  from  twelve  to  sixteen  feet  in  length, 
we  are  in  the  salmon  class.  Such  rods,  if  built 
double,  will  be  proportionately  heavier  than  accord- 
ing with  the  above  schedule,  because  of  the  greater 
weight  of  the  enamel  or  denser  fiber. 

For  calipering  rods  and  for  determining  the  di- 
ameters of  the  ferrules  required  in  individual  cases, 
some  form  of  accurate  calipering  instrument  is  quite 
indispensable.  The  handiest  form  for  the  rod- 
worker  is  that  like  a  miniature  monkey-wrench, 
gauged  to  measure  64ths  of  an  inch,  and  it  costs 
about  two  dollars  at  the  hardware  store. 

The  short,  bait-casting  rod  is  sometimes  made  in 
one  piece  or  joint;  either  with  or  without  an  inde- 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING      109 


Rod  calipers 

pendent  handgrasp.  The  writer  prefers  here  the 
short  butt-joint  with  solid  handgrasp  and  long  top 
arrangement;  and  he  makes  two  top-joints,  one  be- 
ing lighter  than  the  other  for  the  casting  of  the 
lighter  lures,  and  each  is  in  duplicate. 

As  to  details  of  construction  relating  to  the  spe- 
cific styles  and  arrangements  of  guides  for  all  of 
these  rods,  these  will  be  considered  in  the  chapter  on 
;'  Windings  and  Guides." 

The  bait-casting  rod  is  5%  feet  in  length,  divided 
as  follows:  handgrasp  and  reelseat,  10  inches;  top- 
joint,  38%  inches.  The  butt-joint  is  a  scant  VIQ  inch  in 


Bait-casting  rod  layout 


diameter  at  its  larger  end  (A)  and  2%4  inch  at  the 
other  (B)  ;  and  the  top-joints  are  each  %4  inch  at 
their  tips,  but  differently  tapered,  though  each  has  a 
double  or  divergent  taper. 


i  io     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

We  spoke  awhile  ago  of  giving  a  double  taper 
to  light  fly-rod  top-joints  by  sandpapering  down  the 
outer  part  after  the  joint  was  glued.  Another  way 
to  achieve  practically  the  same  thing  is  by  a  swelled 
taper  obtained  by  springing  the  mold  apart  a  bit 
when  setting  it  for  getting  out  the  individual  strips 
of  the  joint;  this  is  conveniently  done  by  twisting  a 
screwdriver  the  blade  of  which  is  thrust  between  its 
halves.  Or,  again,  you  can  make  double-tapered 
tops  in  the  way  that  we  have  done  it  particularly 
with  the  heavier,  bait-casting  rod  top-joints.  The 


Double   or  compound   straight-tapered   top-joints 

diagram  will  make  this  third  method  clear.  These 
two  tops  first  are  planed  down  on  a  simple  straight 
taper  —  that  is,  their  component  strips  are  —  in 
either  case  the  mold  being  set  at  10^/04  inch  for  the 
butt  end.  In  building  the  lighter  top,  we  first  set 
the  mold  for  %4  inch  at  the  tip  (C  in  the  upper 
drawing) ,  38%  inches  from  A.  For  the  heavier  top, 
the  mold  first  is  set  at  %4  inch  at  C.  The  point  B  is 
at  the  location  of  a  pair  of  the  braces  which  hold 
the  halves  of  the  mold  securely  at  the  degree  of 
separation  at  which  they  are  adjusted,  and  it  is  about 
thirteen  inches  from  C.  In  completing  the  planing 
of  the  strips  for  either  top,  we  then  loosen  up  all  the 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING      in 

baseboard  brace-screws  excepting  the  two  which 
hold  the  mold  at  B ;  we  then  pinch  together  the  ends 
of  the  mold,  at  C,  this  time  setting  it  here  for 
3i/64  inch,  and  then  plane  the  second,  outer  taper, 
from  B  to  C.  In  getting  the  exact  desired  width 
for  setting  the  small  end  of  the  mold,  it  sometimes 
is  convenient  —  when  double-tapering  joints  in  this 
way  —  to  use  a  certain  number  of  pieces  of  tin  or 
cardboard  of  a  definite  thickness  and  to  bring  the 
halves  of  the  mold  tight  up  against  these  "  shives  " 
when  placed  between  their  ends. 

No  special  attention  other  than  the  present  refer- 
ence will  be  paid  to  rods  especially  designed  for 
salt-water  angling,  as  such  implements  are  more  fre- 
quently made  of  material  other  than  bamboo  be- 
cause of  the  corrosive  effect  of  sea  water  on  fine 
tackle.  Furthermore,  sufficient  additional  data  as 
to  patterns  and  dimensions  are  easily  obtained  from 
the  catalog  of  any  first-class  tackle-house;  and  yet 
again,  are  these  really  worthy  of  being  considered 
"  rods?  "  Rather,  should  they  not  be  regarded  in 
the  light  of  mere  infant  telegraph-poles?  ( —  Who 
threw  that  tarpon !)  Be  that  as  it  may,  nobody  who 
has  mastered  the  principles  of  constructing  angling- 
rods  of  split-bamboo  has  anything  to  worry  about  in 
such  a  straight-away  proposition  as  the  making  of 
solid-wood  rods,  of  greenheart,  bethabara,  lance- 
wood,  hickory,  ash,  or  in  some  combination  of  these. 
Such  materials,  in  the  square,  and  of  sizes  suitable  for 


ii2      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

the  various  joints,  are  stocked  by  tackle-men,  as  also 
are  spring-butts  and  other  two-handed  grasps. 
However,  in  concluding  this  chapter,  we  will  note 
a  simple  device  that  we  have  found  useful  in  re- 
ducing square  rod-wood  to  tapered  joints  in  the 
square.  You  then  can  place  the  joints  in  a  wooden 
grooved-holder  and  plane  off  the  edges  to  convert 
the  tapered  square  joint  into  a  tapered  octagonal 
joint.  The  remaining  work,  of  making  a  rounded 
swelled-taper  joint  or  whatever  kind  is  wanted,  is 
all  done  with  steel  crescentic-notched  scrapers  (you 
can  make  them  with  a  rat-tail  file)  and  sandpaper, 
manipulated  lengthwise  of  the  joints  as  they  at  the 
same  time  are  kept  revolving  by  the  other  hand. 

The  top  view  of  this  tapering  device  is  shown 
in   Fig.    i.     The   sides   are   of  wood,   three   inches 


Fig.   i  —  Top  view  of  tapering-rig  for  solid-wood  rodi 

wide  and  one-half  inch  thick,  held  about  the  same 
distance  apart  —  or  slightly  more  —  by  the  blocks 
set  between  the  ends.  Another  piece  of  board, 
which  fits  snugly  the  space  between  the  other  two 
but  is  short  enough  to  permit  tilting  of  its  ends, 
simply  is  slipped  in.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  adjust 
this  loose  board,  and  to  hold  it  by  ordinary  clamps 
which  squeeze  it  at  either  end  between  the  outer 
boards,  in  such  position  that  you  can  reduce  a  squared 
stick  that  is  laid  against  its  upper  edge,  and  held  be- 


ROD  TAPERS  AND  ROD  PLOTTING      113 

tween  the  outside  boards,  to  any  taper  desired,  by 
planing  the  stick  down  flush  with  the  upper  edges 
of  these  outside  boards  (see  Fig.  2).  While  aoing 


Fig.   J  —  Side  view   of  tapering-rig 


this,  the  whole  affair  is  held  in  your  bench-vise. 
The  side  boards  of  this  rig  —  or  at  least  their  upper 
edges  —  are  preferably  made  of  fine-grained  hard 
wood;  all  else  may  be  of  any  soft  wood. 


ROD-MAKING: 
GLUING  UP 


CHAPTER  VI 
ROD-MAKING:     GLUING  UP 

The  attempt  at  gluing  up  his  rod-joints  has  proven 
the  particular  Slough  of  Despond  in  which  the  crea- 
tive ambition  of  many  a  prospective  rod-builder  has 
become  hopelessly  mired;  so  it  is  not  without  a  full 
sense  of  the  responsibility  assumed  that  we  begin 
this  chapter.  Yet  despite  all  this  —  listen,  brother, 
while  we  whisper  it  —  the  writer  of  these  words 
has  glued,  does  and  can  glue  up  rod-joints  —  glue 
them  up  straight,  and  without  suffering  paralyzing 
apprehension  as  to  the  outcome  while  engaged  in  the 
process.  Therefore  take  heart,  all  ye  fearful  ones. 

Various  recommended  methods  were  given  trial 
before  formulating  the  technic  which  has  worked 
out  most  successfully  in  our  own  case,  and  which 
we  shall  conscientiously  explain. 

What  are  the  customary  directions  and  sugges- 
tions —  and  their  inevitable  complications?  —  about 
as  follows :  First,  you  are  told  that  both  glue  and 
strips  must  be  kept  hot;  then,  that  it  is  necessary 
that  the  strips  should  receive  a  preliminary  bath  of 
glue  which  is  allowed  to  dry  in  the  bamboo,  filling 
its  pores;  that  you  must  heat  a  little  and  wind  a  lit- 

117 


u8      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

tie;  that  the  winding  —  this  temporary  winding  co- 
incident with  gluing  —  especially  in  the  case  of  the 
lighter  joints  and  tops,  will  give  a  spiral  twist  to  the 
joint  —  which  you  must  overcome  by  winding  in  the 
opposite  direction,  and  crossing  the  first  threads, 
back  to  the  starting-point;  and  if,  before  you  get  a 
quarter  of  the  distance  on  your  return  trip,  the  glue 
has  cooled  and  set  so  that  the  twist  does  not  come 
out  as  you  were  counting  on,  why  you  heat  the  joint 
again  (perhaps  over  an  oil-  or  gas-stove  or  with  a 
"  steam  hose  ") ,  and  repeat  as  often  as  may  be  neces- 
sary—  your  fingers  the  while  accumulating  stratified 
layers  of  rapidly  congealing  glue,  so  that  they  stick  to 
each  other  and  to  the  bamboo  more  tightly  than  the 
strips  seem  inclined  to  stick  together  —  and  there  is 
glue,  glue  everywhere,  particularly  where  you  least 
want  it,  and  where  it  most  effectually  can  obstruct  the 
work  in  hand.  Yes,  it  is  fierce  I 

You  may  be  interested  to  learn  that  Divine,  the 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  rod-maker,  once  cataloged  a  special 
rod  having  a  permanent  torsional  twist  put  deliber- 
ately into  it,  and  he  claimed  that  joints  so  made  are 
more  rigid  than  those  of  the  standard  form  of  con- 
struction. Accept  whatever  of  consolation  this  bit 
of  information  may  bring.  We  note  also  that  the 
addition  of  a  little  acetic  acid  or  vinegar  to  the  glue 
has  been  recommended  for  retarding  its  gelatiniza- 
tion  or  setting;  personally,  we  have  not  found  the 
expedient  necessary. 


GLUING  UP  119 

In  applying  the  glue  to  the  strips,  perhaps  you 
have  stood  them  endwise  in  a  tin-tube  of  glue  — 
standing  that  in  hot  water  to  keep  it  warm  —  and 
winding  first  one  end  of  the  joint  and  then  reversing 
it  and  winding  the  other;  or,  first  having  tied  the 
strips  together  at  two  or  three  points,  you  have 
made  use  of  a  cardboard  or  tin  device  having  a  circle 
of  six  triangular  holes  through  which  the  unglued 
strip-ends  are  thrust  to  keep  them  separated  while 
applying  the  glue  to  their  individual  inner  surfaces, 
as  you  intermittently  glue  for  a  short  distance,  slip 
the  separator  along  a  bit,  and  wind.  Then,  after 
the  winding  is  completed,  from  butt  to  the  smaller 
end  of  the  joint,  you  sight  along  the  joint  for  ir- 
regularities, and  heat  it  again  at  these  points,  to 
correct  them  by  counter-bending. 

Again,  we  have  tried  gluing  up  and  winding  the 
joints  in  separate  halves,  clamping  each  half  till  the 
glue  had  thoroughly  set,  and  then  gluing  the  mating 
halves  together  and  clamping  the  whole  against  a 
rigid,  straight,  heavy  strip  of  wood  with  a  lighter 
clamping  strip.  This  latter  plan  yielded  pretty  fair 
results  with  some  larger  joints. 

But  whatever  of  routine  success  others  may  have 
achieved  in  pursuance  of  any  of  the  above  methods, 
certain  it  is  for  us  that  way  lies  despair  and  wrath- 
ful objurgation,  nothwithstanding  we  are  able  to  en- 
dure all  the  preceding  stress  of  splitting,  straighten- 
ing, and  planing  with  unruffled  placidity. 


120     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

Most  assuredly,  if  it  be  possible  to  glue  and  wind 
joints  so  that  most  of  the  glue  remains  where  it  is 
wanted,  and  with  but  a  minimum  thereof  affection- 
ately attaching  to  the  hands,  and  if  the  joints  can 
be  wound  in  one  direction  only,  and  all  this  be  ac- 
complished while  at  the  same  time  straightening  in- 
stead of  twisting  the  joints,  such  a  technic  is  highly 
desirable  from  all  standpoints  —  those  of  progress, 
comfort,  and  efficiency.  We  presently  will  explain 
our  path  to  this  end.  It  is  not  to  be  expected,  how- 
ever, from  any  method  of  gluing,  that  the  meekest 
gluer  may  avoid  becoming  palpably  "  stuck-up." 
But  a  little  hot  water  readily  removes  the  glue  from 
your  hands  —  if  not  its  remoter  effects  from  your 
conscience  —  which  thus  should  be  unburdened  at 
sundry  interludes,  as  shall  faithfully  be  noted. 

We  are  reminded  here  of  the  illuminating  reply 
received  by  one  who  was  attempting  to  lure  from  a 
professional  rod-maker,  canny  as  famous,  the  exact 
details  of  his  gluing  process.  The  query,  "  By  the 
way,  Tom,  how  do  you  glue  up?  "  elicited:  '  Why, 
how  do  you  suppose?  With  glue,  of  course." 
The  anecdote  serves  as  an  introduction  to  the  sub- 
ject of  glue  itself. 

The  descriptive  catalogs  of  most  rod-manufac- 
turers will  tell  how  each  one's  brand  of  rod  is  made 
with  a  special,  secret  "  waterproof  cement,"  of  won- 
derful adhesive  and  cohesive  qualities;  how  even  the 
bamboo  employed  is  of  a  particularly  superior 


GLUING  UP  121 

variety  which  needs  must  receive  a  distinguishing 
appellation  unknown  to  the  botanists;  and  how  the 
varnish  used  is  unlike  anything  in  the  varnish  line 
known  in  the  regular  trade.  In  short  —  and  simi- 
larly with  particular  brands  of  automobiles,  marine 
gas-engines,  guns  and  a  few  other  articles  of  mer- 
chandise —  this  particular  rod,  sold  by  this  particu- 
lar house,  is  the  one  and  only  implement,  embody- 
ing to  a  superlative  degree  all  the  attainable  excel- 
lencies to  which  an  angling-rod  could  lay  claim. 

Now,  all  these  are  good  rods;  and  there  can  be 
no  question  that  there  are  various  and  valuable 
trade  secrets  peculiar  to  rod-making,  just  as  there 
are  in  any  matured  manufacturing  industry  —  yet, 
glue  is  glue;  and  it  is  perfectly  well  understood  by 
sophisticated  buyers  that  in  a  general  way  such  as- 
sertions of  unique  excellence  may  be  dismissed  as 
mere  trade  "  talking-points." 

Any  ordinarily  good  glue  will  suffice.  The  writer 
even  has  glued  up  satisfactory  joints  with  the  sheet 
gelatine  that  you  buy  in  grocery  stores  for  kitchen 
use,  dissolved  in  hot  water.  Appropriately  enough, 
genuine  Russian  isinglass  —  fish  glue  —  is  stated  to 
be  the  very  best  thing  for  the  purpose.  It  ought  to 
be,  at  the  price  quoted,  which  years  ago  was  about 
seven  dollars  a  pound.  It  is  made  from  the  bladder 
of  the  sturgeon,  the  real  article  is  very  difficult  to 
obtain,  and  many  cheaper  forms  of  gelatine  are  so 
called.  The  reader  is  at  liberty  to  seek  this  elusive 


122     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

brand,6  or  to  obtain  the  more  expensive  grade  of 
imported  French  or  German  glue,  soaking  it  over- 
night in  cold  water  to  soften  it,  then  boiling  it  up  in 
a  regulation  glue-pot  when  ready  to  apply  it,  and 
thus  preparing  it  afresh  each  time  that  it  is  used  — 
if  he  wants  to. 

Many  practical  carpenters  use  Le  Page's  pre- 
pared liquid  glue  in  their  work,  and  we  have  glued 
rod-joints  with  this  also.  With  Major's  cement, 
Jeffrey's  marine  glue,  and  liquid  u  iron  cement  "  we 
have  had  no  experience  in  this  connection.  From 
any  pattern-  or  cabinet-maker  you  can  obtain  some 
glue  —  perhaps  coarsely  granular  and  often  compris- 
ing broken  pieces  of  many  different  samples  —  that 
will  serve  your  purpose  fully.  And  after  a  short  pre- 
liminary soaking  in  cold  water,  you  can  add  a  little 
more,  hot  water  and  boil  it  up  by  placing  its  cheap 
tin-container  in  a  second  receptacle,  an  ordinary 
saucepan  of  water.  Some  rod-makers'  choice  is  a 
good  quality  of  white  glue.  In  any  event  it  should 
boil  slowly  —  simmer  —  and  the  longer  it  cooks  the 
better  will  it  be;  and  a  hide  glue  is  superior  to  a  bone 
glue.  Any  expert  wood-worker  will  tell  you  that 
two  other  important  factors  of  an  A-i  gluing  job  are 
that  the  glue  should  be  used  thin  and  that  the  wood  is 
hot  when  glued.  Professionals  heat  the  bamboo- 
strips  in  a  hot-box. 

The  amateur  rod-builder  can  get  a  good  fire  go- 

6  Try  Eimer  and  Amend' s,  New  York.     Some  of  this  glue  may  be  mixed 
with  other  glue. 


GLUING  UP  123 

ing  in  the  kitchen  range,  place  two  irons  or  bricks 
a  foot  or  so  apart,  and  with  thin  pieces  of  wood  top- 
ping them,  on  the  stove  over  the  fire  (stove  cover- 
holes  remaining  closed),  and  lay  his  strips  athwart 
these  wood  supports  till  hot,  without  injury.  Or 
a  kitchen  gas-range  may  be  used,  by  placing  the  irons 
or  bricks  with  a  sheet  of  tin  over  them  to  cover  two 
holes,  and  laying  the  pieces  of  wood  to  hold  the 
strips  atop  the  tin. 

While  the  function  fulfilled  by  the  glue  in  binding 
the  strips  together  is  tremendously  effective  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  increased  rigidity  of  the  glued 
joint  as  compared  with  its  strips  when  simply  bound 
together  by  windings,  it  nevertheless  is  true  that  all 
the  glue  has  to  accomplish  is  to  hold  the  strips  from 
sliding  one  against  another  —  that  is,  to  prevent 
them  from  acting  individually  instead  of  as  a  solid 
homogeneous  piece,  when  a  bending  strain  is  ap- 
plied. Now,  a  very  slight  adhesive  force  between 
the  strips  will  suffice  for  this  when  it  is  distributed 
along  their  whole  length,  especially  when  this  bond 
is  supplemented  by  the  ferrules  at  the  ends  of  the 
joints,  by  the  line-guide  wrappings,  and  by  the  other 
strong,  permanent  silk-windings  held  in  a  plentiful 
coating  of  varnish. 

The  malleability  of  the  joints,  and  just  how  they 
act  before  the  glue  has  stiffened,  may  be  well  ob- 
served in  a  joint  whose  finished  strips  are  assembled 
and  held  by  a  snug  temporary  winding,  without  any 


124     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

glue  having  been  applied  as  yet.  Both  the  winding 
and  the  yet  soft  glue  permit  the  strips  to  slide,  one 
upon  another,  as  you  bend  the  joint;  and  to  remain 
approximately  in  whatever  was  the  form  when  the 
bending  force  was  interrupted,  because  also  they 
hold  the  strips  from  slipping  back  into  their  original 
position,  until  a  counteracting  force  is  applied. 
Bend  the  joint  into  an  S  shape  and  so  it  remains 
until  bent  some  other  way.  Thus  it  is  that  this  time 
of  gluing  up  is  the  most  advantageous  time  for  mold- 
ing the  completed  joints  straight. 

Get  a  small  camel's-hair  brush,  not  over  one-half 
inch  wide  —  or  better,  the  stiffer,  Siberian  ox-hair 
kind  that  paint  stores  carry  —  and  have  your  glue 
in  readiness,  the  container  resting  in  the  saucepan 
of  water  which  is  kept  warm  over  a  convenient  oil- 
or  gas-heater  or  on  the  kitchen  coal-range.  Loose 
the  strips  of  your  joint  from  the 
winding  that  has  bound  them  since 
they  were  finished.  The  writer  uses 
Barbour's  linen-thread  —  obtained 
at  the  dry-goods  store  —  number  25 
for  all  except  top-joints,  and  number 
40  for  these;  and  he  makes  use  of 
the  one  piece  for  temporary  binding 
Doubled  winding-  and  for  the  winding-thread  used  in 

I   with   noose       glu|ng         jj^    ^^    doubled)    and 

made  long  enough  to  wind  the  whole  length  of  the 
joint,  has  a  slip-noose  turned  in  its  looped  end. 


GLUING  UP  125 

Place  the  thread  conveniently  nearby,  so  you  can 
grab  it  instantly  when  wanted.  Also  have  handy 
some  warm  water  in  a  basin,  a  sponge,  and  a  piece 
of  rag  (no  relation  to  the  "  bone  and  hank  of 
hair"). 

Lay  the  strips  down  in  front  of  you,  arranged  in 
two  groups  of  three  strips  each,  and  in  this  order : 


unit 


Illl 


Strips  grouped  ready  for  gluing 

Pick  up  strip  number  I  in  your  left  hand,  grasping 
it  near  its  middle,  and  rapidly  but  thoroughly,  with 
long  strokes,  apply  the  warm  glue  to  the  whole 
length  of  the  inside  surface,  A,  beginning  at  the 
smaller  end;  then  lay  the  strip  down  again,  on  its 
remaining  dry,  planed  surface.  (It  is  better  that 
the  room  where  these  sacred  rites  are  progressing 
should  be  decidedly  warm  —  at  night,  when  the  rest 
of  the  family  are  all  abed,  in  the  kitchen  on  the 


126     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

table,  which  is  drawn  near  to  the  coal-range,  after 
you  have  started  that  a-going  at  a  good  pace,  is 
ideal.)  Next,  treat  strip  number  III  (no,  we  don't 
mean  II)  in  the  same  way,  applying  the  glue  to  its 
planed  surface  B ;  lay  it  down.  At  any  time  when 
the  brush  may  stiffen  or  the  glue  in  the  brush  is  too 
thick  to  spread  well,  limber  the  brush  and  thin  the 
glue  a  bit  at  one  and  the  same  time  by  cleaning  out 
the  brush  in  the  hot  water  in  which  the  glue-can  sits. 
Now  you  may  pick  up  strip  II  and  cover  both  of  its 
planed  surfaces  with  glue ;  and  don't  lay  this  down  — 
yet  —  but  transfer  it  to  your  right  hand  (having 
laid  that  brush  in  a  safe  place,  mind  you,  from 
where  it  will  not  fall  on  the  floor  and  annex  a  choice 
collection  of  dust),  which  grasps  it  between  thumb 
and  forefinger,  at  the  butt.  Next,  seizing  strip  I 
similarly  in  the  left  hand,  pick  it  up  and  bring  the 
glued  sides  of  the  strips  II  and  I  together;  and, 
then,  holding  both  in  the  left  hand,  pick  up  strip  III 
and  bring  that  up  against  the  first  two.  Then  place 
this  half-section  on  the  table,  with  planed  surfaces 
down,  and  pinch  all  three  strips  together  firmly, 
along  their  whole  length,  between  thumbs  and 
fingers,  sufficiently  for  them  to  adhere  together  as  a 
unit  —  some  gaping  will  do  no  harm. 

Now,  wash  your  hands  in  the  warm  water  in  the 
basin  and  wipe  them  on  the  rag. 

Exactly  the  same  maneuvers  are  repeated  with 


GLUING  UP  127 

strips  IIII,  IIIIII,  and  IIIII,  and  this  second  half- 
joint  is  placed  on  the  table  near  the  first. 

Repeat  the  hand  washing. 

Return  to  the  half-section  first  glued,  turn  it  on 
its  back  and  spread  glue  liberally  over  its  whole  up- 
permost or  inside  surface,  which  is  two  strips  wide. 
Apply  glue  similarly  to  the  second  half;  and  bring 
these  halves  together. 

Be  sure  to  wash  your  hands  this  time,  before  pro- 
ceeding with  the  next  steps,  which  are  as  follows: 
First  secure  the  joint  halves  tightly  at  the  butt  with 
the  noosed  end  of  your  doubled  thread;  but  before 
pulling  the  noose  up  snug,  tap  the  butt  of  the  joint 
smartly  against  the  table  to  even  up  the  ends  of  all 
the  strips.  (Here's  where  you  begin  to  speed  up 
a  bit  —  and  where  in  Sam  Hill  is  that  blooming 
thread?  —  Well,  we  told  you  to  have  it  handy,  didn't 
we?)  Having  gripped  the  whole  joint  firmly 
within  the  noose,  take  a  few  initial  spiral  turns  away 
from  you,  around  the  joint  (Fig.  i).  Next,  turn 
the  joint  so  that  its  butt  is  now  directed  toward  your 
left  hand;  lay  it  down  on  the  table,  still  holding 
taut  on  the  winding-thread;  and  proceed  to  wind 
tightly  in  spirals,  spaced  about  three-eighths  of  an 
inch;  rolling  the  joint  away  from  you  as  you  simul- 
taneously pull  the  thread  toward  you,  and  force  all 
the  strip  edges  evenly  together  under  the  combined 
constriction  of  the  progressively  encircling  winding, 


128     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

the  rolling  of  the  joint,  and  the  downward  pressure 
against  the  table  of  the  palmar  surface  of  the  fingers 
of  both  hands  (Fig.  2). 

Before  proceeding  very  far  you  will  note  to  your 
great  surprise  and  delight,  first,  that  as  you  wind, 
the  joint  is  straightened  by  being  rolled  against  the 
'  unyielding  level  surface  of  the  table;  and,  next,  that 
it  does  not  twist  when  carefully  wound  in  this  way, 
but  each  of  its  six  flat  surfaces  holds  to  its  own 
proper  plane. 

Having  completed  the  winding,  wipe  off  the  ex- 
cess of  glue  with  the  sponge  and  a  little  hot  water. 
This  also  wets  and  shrinks  the  winding-thread,  mak- 
ing still  tighter  constriction.  Sight  now  along  the 
joint  for  the  more  noticeable  deflections;  correct 
these  by  counter-bending,  take  out  any  very  mild 
twist  by  counter-twisting,  and  then  submit  the  whole 
joint  to  some  more  rolling  treatment,  very  vigorously 
now,  to  and  fro  under  the  palms  of  the  hands  (Fig. 
3),  and  bearing  on  with  considerable  pressure.  Oc- 
casionally we  have  rolled  a  joint  under  a  flatiron. 
Continue  rolling  until  the  glue  is  well  set  and  the 
joint  considerably  stiffened  up,  which  requires  only 
a  few  minutes,  when  it  may  be  allowed  to  repose  on 
the  table  until  morning. 

Yes,  it's  pretty  late  —  but  really  you  should  wash 
your  hands  again  before  going  to  bed. 

The  following  day  you  may  remove  the  winding- 
thread  and  sandpaper  the  joint,  using  number  o  or 


Gluing  Up:  Fig.  i — Starting  the  winding'thread 


Gluing  Up:  Fig.  2 — Winding 


Gluing  Up:  Fig.  3— Rolling 


GLUING  UP  129 

number  I  paper.  First  remove  the  hardened  ex- 
uded glue  by  systematically  going  lengthwise  over 
each  of  the  six  flat  surfaces  individually;  then  over 
the  joint  as  a  whole,  just  sufficiently  for  the  removal 
of  any  remaining  glue  and  for  the  slightest  round- 
ing of  its  edges;  except  that  the  outer  part  of  fly- 
rod  top-joints  may  be  sandpapered  vigorously  to  ma- 
terially reduce  the  caliber  here  as  noted  in  the  pre- 
vious chapter. 

Sight  along  the  cleaned  joint  once  more ;  correct 
any  slight  deflections  yet  remaining,  by  heating  them 
very  carefully  over  the  flame  (the  enamel  surface  is 
bound  to  be  exposed  toward  the  flame  now) ,  manipu- 
lating them  between  the  fingers,  and  once  more  do- 
ing a  little  rolling,  with  the  pressur^  concentrated 
at  the  particular  spot  undergoing  final  treatment. 

And  there  you  are !  Rod-building  possesses  no 
more  difficulties  for  you,  worthy  of  the  name;  your 
joint  is  glued  up;  it  has  become  a  thing  of  beauty, 
as  straight  as  an  arrow.  Who  now  may  say  that 
you  can't  do  the  trick? 

At  this  stage  we  once  again  take  note  of  any  little 
lumpiness  that  may  still  remain  at  the  knot-sites,  and, 
where  indicated,  make  a  final  application  of  the  file, 
using  this  time  the  small  triangular  saw-file  and  not 
the  coarse,  cross-hatched  tool. 

Having  glued  up  our  joints  they  now  are  ready 
to  be  fitted  with  their  respective  ferrules.  They  are 
straight  and  rigid,  and  should  remain  lying  on  a  flat 


i3o     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

surface  or  suspended  from  their  ends  while  awaiting 
further  attention;  do  not  allow  them  to  stand  on 
end,  the  ends  only  being  supported,  or  they  may  be- 
come bowed.  And  as  varnish  is  an  effective  pre- 
ventive against  the  absorption  of  dampness,  and  the 
subsequent  warping  due  to  this  cause,  we  apply  the 
first  coat  very  soon,  but  invariably  on  a  dry  day.  It 
also  is  our  personal  practise  to  invest  the  joints  with 
their  first  permanent,  silk  windings  —  after  the  man- 
ner described  under  "Windings  and  Guides" — be- 
fore they  receive  this  first  varnishing. 

A  professional  method  of  gluing  and  winding 
known  to  the  author  as  having  been  employed  by 
at  least  one  maker,  is  the  following:  The  six  strips 
of  a  joint  are  laid  alongside  each  other  on  their 
backs  or  rind  surface;  glue  is  applied  quickly  to  all 
at  once  by  a  few  rapid  strokes  of  a  wide  brush ;  the 
strips  are  brought  together  and  the  joint  is  held  at 
both  ends  in  a  lathe;  while  one  worker  turns  the 
joint  by  the  lathe  handle,  another  winds  it  with 
tape,  in  overlapping  spirals.  A  hand-rest  extends 
along  the  front  of  the  lathe.  After  winding,  the 
joints  are  hung  up  by  the  small  end  to  dry  and 
season,  being  suspended  by  means  of  little  clamps. 


ROD-MAKING: 

FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING; 
ONE-PIECE  AND  SPLICED  RODS 


CHAPTER  VII 

ROD-MAKING: 

FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING; 
ONE-PIECE  AND  SPLICED  RODS 

Rod  ferrules,  the  metal  tubular  fittings  attached 
to  the  ends  of  rod-joints,  by  means  of  which  the  rod 
is  jointed  up  or  assembled  for  use,  are  made  prefer- 
ably of  German-silver  (white-metal)  or  of  gun- 
metal.  Many  high-grade  English  rods  are  made 
up  with  the  gun-metal  ferrules,  reel-seat,  etc.,  and 
in  this  dead  black  finish  they  are  both  very  suitable 
and  elegant.  It  would  be  somewhat  difficult  to  ob- 
tain these  latter  from  domestic  tackle-dealers;  pos- 
sibly they  might  be  supplied  to  special  order  through 
some  of  the  more  prominent  anglers'  supply-houses. 
Handmade  German-silver  ferrules  are  readily  ob- 
tained on  special  order,  the  price  7  being  from  one 
to  two  dollars  a  pair  and  may  include  waterproofing 
and  serration.  Stock  ferrules  in  this  metal  are  kept 
by  all  of  the  larger  tackle-dealers,  the  variety  and 
grade  of  some  being  much  better  than  those  of  others. 
With  the  best  of  these  available,  the  writer  would 

7  The  prices  that  we  have  noted  for  all  rod-fittings  are  "  before-the-war  " 
quotations,  and  current  prices  are  so  unstable  that  we  have  let  these  stand. 
From  thirty  to  fifty  per-cent  advance  must  be  allowed,  and  more  on  some 
things.  The  agate  used  for  guides  formerly  was  imported  principally  from 
Austria. 

133 


134     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

deem  the  handmade  article  a  luxury  except  for  the 
very  practical  advantage  of  being  able  to  obtain 
them  in  any  diameter  desired,  exactly  gauged  to  one- 
thousandth  of  an  inch.  The  reader  interested  in 
exceptionally  high-class  rod-accessories,  will  do  well 
to  consult  John  G.  Landman,  59  Cedar  Street, 
Brooklyn,  New  York.  Edward  vom  Hofe  and  Co. 
also  manufacture  certain  fittings  on  their  own  prem- 
ises, at  112  Fulton  Street,  New  York;  and  we  have 
found  Ogilvie's,  at  79  Chambers  Street,  New  York, 
very  satisfactory  for  some  things.  Ferrules  carried 
in  stock  may  be  bought  at  prices  ranging  from  fifteen 
to  seventy-five  cents  per  pair,  according  to  size  and 
style. 

The  British  taste  in  ferrules  tends  strongly  to 
those  furnished  with  some  sort  of  locking  device  — 
"  lockfast "  joints.  These  are  made  abroad  in 
great  variety,  but  to  American  eyes  they  seem  cum- 
bersome, unsightly,  and  altogether  unnecessary. 
The  plain  American,  friction  (suction  or  vacuum) 
ferrule,  depending  for  its  holding  power  wholly  upon 
mechanically  exact  fitting,  looks  pretty  good  to  the 
American  angler,  who  never  has  had  legitimate  cause 
to  worry  about  any  tendency  in  it  to  throw  apart. 

Ferrules  come  in  pairs  consisting  of  the  male 
(center  or  inner)  ferrule  and  the  female  (outer  or 
receiving)  half,  the  outside  diameter  of  a  male  fer- 
rule being  identical  with  the  inside  measurement  of 
its  mating  section.  Either  the  male  or  female  fer- 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        135 

rules  may  be  purchased  separately.  This  is  a  con- 
venience, especially  in  the  case  of  male  ferrules,  be- 
cause of  the  customary  duplication  of  the  top-joints 
of  rods,  for  the  purpose  of  having  one  in  reserve 
against  a  smash-up.  The  male  ferrule  is  attached 
to  the  butt  or  larger  end  of  a  rod-joint. 

As  ferrules  constitute  rigid  portions  of  the  rod, 
which  otherwise  is  uniformly  flexible  from  butt  to 
tip,  it  is  evident  that  it  is  a  mistake  to  have  them  any 
longer  than  is  necessary  for  efficient  service.  For 
rods  eight  to  ten  feet  in  length,  a  union  of  one  and 
one-eighth  to  one  and  one-quarter  inches  —  depth 
of  penetration  of  male  ferrule  —  is  sufficient  at  the 
joint  between  the  butt-  and  middle-sections  of  the 
rod,  and  of  three-quarters  to  an  inch  between  the 
middle-joint  and  top.  This  will  give  a  desirable 
over-all  length  of  at  least  about  two  and  one-half 
inches  for  the  larger  female  ferrule  of  a  ten-foot 
rod. 

Waterproof  ferrules  are  supplied  at  an  extra  cost; 
they  are  made  by  soldering  a  disk  of  metal  within 
the  female  ferrule  at  the  point  where  it  is  intended 
that  this  partition  shall  come  down  against  the  end 
of  the  rod-joint,  in  order  to  prevent  access  of  water 
to  the  otherwise  unprotected  wood  here;  and  wood 
absorbs  moisture  more  rapidly  from  the  ends  than 
from  the  sides,  and  especially  at  these  bamboo-ends 
unprotected  by  enamel.  However,  neither  does  the 
author  consider  these  are  a  necessity,  as  he  is  willing 


i36     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


to  take  the  risk  of  any  water  finding  its  way  into  the 
joint  of  a  rod  that  is  fitted  with  ordinary  ferrules 
set  on  after  the  manner  which  will  be  recommended. 
Ferrules  are  cataloged  as  plain  straight;  shoul- 
dered, capped  or  swelled;  straight  with  rim  or  welt; 


u 


Varieties  of  ferrules:  (i)  Plain  straight;  (2)  Shouldered,  swelled  or 
capped;  (3)  Capped  with  rim  welt;  4)  Straight  with  welt,  and  capped 
and  closed  center;  (5)  Hexagonal  ends 

and  shouldered  with  welt.  And  some  have  hexa- 
gonal proximal  or  rod-joint  ends  —  which  do  not 
appeal  strongly  to  the  majority  of  experienced 
anglers.  The  accompanying  illustrations  show  ex- 
actly what  is  understood  by  the  above  terms.  The 
kind  here  recommended  (number  4  in  the  illustra- 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        137 

tion)  has  a  straight-sided  female  member,  and  a 
shouldered  male  member  that  is  closed  at  the  distal 
end  — "  closed-end  center."  They  are  obtainable 
from  Abbey  and  Imbrie,  at  97  Chambers  Street,  New 
York  City,  under  the  name  of  "  bamboo  "  ferrules. 
We  also  have  obtained  similar  satisfactory  ferrules 
from  the  T.  H.  Chubb  Rod  Co.,  of  Post  Mills,  Ver- 
mont, which  that  firm  catalogs  as  their  "  special 
short,  straight,  welted  ferrule,  with  capped  arid 
closed-end  center."  The  Abbey  and  Imbrie  fer- 
rules, at  the  time  of  this  writing,  were  supplied  in 
the  following  sizes,  the  figures  denoting  in  fractions 
of  an  inch  the  outside  diameter  of  the  male  or  in- 
side diameter  of  the  female  or  outer  member: 

%4,    ^64,    3/16,    7/32,    15/64,    &    17/64,    l9/64, 
15/32,  y2,  3%4,  19/32,  %,  43/64,  23/32,  %,  51/64, 

6%4,  i%2-  The  Chubb  article  ran  in  somewhat 
different  sizes,  namely:  %2,  %6,  134i,  1%4,  *%4,  194t, 

^32,  %,   13/32,  7/16,   15/32,  17/32,   19/32,  %,   Hie,  23/32,   13/16. 

Once  again  the  reader  is  cautioned  that  he  should 
be  prepared  to  find  that  actual  diameters  of  stock 
ferrules  may  vary  minutely  from  the  sizes  as  listed. 

The  sizes  used  by  the  writer  for  the  ten-foot  fly, 
nine-  and  nine  and  one-half-foot  fly,  and  five  and  one- 
quarter-foot  bait-casting  rods  mentioned  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  are  respectively  2^  and  *%*  inch;  %2 
and  a%4;  and  *%4  inch.  For  the  independent-hand- 
grasp  joint,  for  the  fly-rods,  %e  and  %  inch. 

Ferrules  that  are  a  trifle  large  should  be  selected, 


i38     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

rather  than  those  a  bit  undersized  for  the  joint  at 
the  place  where  they  are  to  be  fitted  —  when  com- 
pelled to  make  the  choice  —  as  but  a  minimum 
amount  of  the  wood  should  be  cut  away,  especially 
in  fitting  the  female  ferrules,  which  preferably  are 
without  a  shoulder,  as  already  noted.  The  ferrule 
diameter  should  on  no  account  be  materially  less  than 
the  rod  diameter  as  measured,  this  time,  between  flat 
surfaces,  at  the  meeting  ends  of  the  rod-joints  where 
the  ferrule  is  to  be  used;  hence  calipering  these  ends 
in  this  way  will  inform  you  of  the  ferrule  sizes  re- 
quired. An  expedient  sometimes  of  value  when 
fitting  to  old  joints  new  ferrules  that  are  a  trifle 
large,  is  to  wind  the  joint-ends  with  waxed  silk  or  fine 
linen-thread  before  applying  the  cement,  and  then  to 
force  the  ferrules  on  over  this. 

Only  ferrules  whose  parts  fit  snugly  together 
should  be  accepted  and  used.  If  too  tight,  the  male 
ferrule  is  easily  dressed  down  by  turning  it,  together 
with  its  attached  rod-joint,  inside  of  a  folded  piece 
of  fine  emery-cloth  held  tightly  between  the  fingers, 
finishing  the  process  by  rubbing  it  with  a  mixture  of 
powdered  chalk  and  linseed  oil.  Never  use  a  file 
for  this  purpose. 

The  proximal  ends  of  ferrules  —  ends  toward 
the  rod-joints  —  should  be  either  split  or  serrated 
for  a  short  distance,  in  order  to  modify  rigidity  here. 
If  this  be  not  done,  there  are  created  abrupt  lines 
of  demarkation  around  the  rod  at  every  point  where 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        139 


the  flexible  bamboo  emerges  from 
the  rigid  metal  tubing;  and  it  is  at 
one  of  these  places  that  the  rod  is 
most  likely  to  give  way  under  excep- 
tional stress.  A  further  good  ex- 
pedient to  relieve  the  strain  at  joint 
connections,  is  to  locate  a  line-guide 
at  the  lower  end  of  each  female  fer- 
rule, so  that  the  line  pull  at  these 
ferrule  guides  will  come  more  di- 
rectly against  the  stronger  side  of 
the  joints  between  the  separate 
pieces  of  the  rod. 

The  amateur  rod-tinker  need  not 
however  pay  the  dealer  the  very 
considerable  cost  of  ferrules  hav- 
ing flexible  ends  —  fifty  or  seventy-five  cents  more 
a  pair  —  but,  with  the  use  either  of  a  fine  hack-saw 
or  a  small  triangular  saw-file,  he  may  proceed  to  do 
his  own  splitting  or  serrating,  as  the  case  may  be. 
When  using  the  saw,  it  is  advisable  first  to  fit  a  plug 
of  soft  wood  snugly  within  the  ferrule-end  to  be 
sawed  and  to  cut  it  off  flush  with  the  metal.  In 

using  the  file,  first  notch  the 
ferrule-end  in  two  places, 
corresponding  to  its  exact 
middle  diameter,  by  one 
stroke  of  the  tool  held  hori- 
Next,  divide  each  half  of  the 


Split    and     serrated 
ferrules 


Figures    i,    2,    and    3 — Guiding- 
notches  for  serrating  ferrules 


zontally   (Fig.   i). 


i4o      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


circle,  by  notches,  equally  into  three  arcs,  by  two  ad- 
ditional file-strokes  (Figures  2  and  3).  You  now 
have  made  your  six  guiding- 
notches  with  but  three  strokes. 
Deepen  these  notches  a  little, 
and  then  be  sure  to  equalize 
them,  by  directing  the  side 
•pressure  of  the  fie  as  re- 
quired, before  completing  the 
cutting  to  the  full  depth. 
For  this  the  file  now  is  held  in 
an  inclined  position,  as  the  il- 
lustration depicts,  and  you 
make  short  strokes  away  from 
you. 

For  securing  the  ferrules  in  the  vise  without  in- 
jury while  sawing  slits  or  filing  notches,  make  a  little 
holder  from  two  pieces  of  soft 
wood,  by  chiseling  a  V-groove 
along  a  side  of  each,  as  represented 
in  Fig.  4. 

Several  kinds  of  preparations 
are  in  use  for  cementing  the  fer- 
rules onto  the  rod-joints,  among 
them  being  common  thick  shellac,  sealing-wax,  bi- 
cycle-tire and  gutta-percha  dental  cements.  As  an 
excellent  and  inexpensive  ready-prepared  article  may 
be  had  in  the  shops,  we  never  have  bothered  about 
cement  recipes;  the  author  uses  Dodge's  ferrule 


Serrating    ferrules 


Fig.  4  —  Wooden   fer- 
rule-holder 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        141 

cement,  which  he  buys  at  William  Mills  and  Son's, 
2 1  Park  Place,  New  York  City,  for  twenty-five  cents 
a  stick  —  enough  to  last  a  long  time.  Doubtless  it 
may  be  obtained  in  many  places,  or  a  similar  prep- 
aration that  will  serve  as  well.  Whatever  else  you 
do  in  securing  the  ferrules  to  the  wood,  do  not  make 
use  of  any  metal  pins;  they  weaken  the  rod,  are  no 
effective  preventive  against  loosening,  and  they  con- 
stitute an  annoying  obstruction  when  the  re-cement- 
ing of  a  ferrule  is  indicated.  And  do  not  use  dow- 
eled ferrules. 

In  fitting  your  ferrules,  be  sure  that  the  female 
section  is  not  thrust  too  far  down  over  its  joint-end, 
and  so  prevents  the  male  ferrule  from  being  seated 
the  full  depth;  by  placing  the  smaller  (seating)  part 
of  the  male  ferrule  alongside  the  outer  end  of  the 
female,  measure  the  distance  down  on  the  joint  that 
the  bottom  of  the  female  ferrule  should  extend,  and 


r£MHL£  retxvie. 

:  —  ""—  — 

|  — 

1 

ftAue  re/tRut-e. 

*•} 

Finding  point  on  joint  for  bottom  edge  of  female  ferrule 

mark  this  point  on  the  wood.  Allow  for  the  least 
bit  of  space  between  the  wood  end  within  the  female 
ferrule  and  the  butt  end  of  the  male,  when  the  rod 
is  jointed  up.  Cut  the  wood  down  by  careful  cross- 
filing  —  as  you  roll  the  end  of  the  joint  on  the  work- 


i42      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

bench,  followed  by  turning  it  within  a  fold  of  sand- 
paper—  only  sufficient  for  a  good  snug  fit  of  metal 
over  the  wood;  and  remember  that  the  ferrule  will 
expand  a  bit  when  heated.  Be  especially  careful  to 
have  the  female  ferrule  fit  the  wood  as  tightly  as 
possible,  for  it  is  this  ferrule  that  is  more  likely  to 
work  loose  from  its  attachment.  As  you  file  and 
sandpaper,  pause  now  and  then  to  try  on  the  fer- 
rule, giving  to  it  a  twisting  motion,  which  will  leave 
black  rubbing-marks  on  the  wood  that  indicate  the 
high  spots  requiring  further  cutting  away. 

In  your  filing  of  the  joint,  endeavor  to  remove  the 
wood  equally  on  all  sides,  in  order  that  the  ferrules 
will  be  centered,  and  thus  bring  the  whole  rod  into 
true  alignment  when  its  sections  are  jointed  together. 

In  applying  the  cement,  be  careful  to  avoid  getting 
any  upon  that  inside  part  of  the  outer  ferrule  which 
receives  the  male  (inner)  section.  Soften  the  stick 
of  cement  in  the  flame  of  an  alcohol  lamp,  a  gas-  or 
candle-flame;  stick  a  few  small  gobs  on  the  wood, 
and  heat  the  cement  and  joint-end  over  the  flame 
carefully,  turning  the  joint  to  and  fro  the  while, 
till  the  cement  flows;  spread  the  now  liquefied  cement 
evenly  over  the  wood  by  stroking  lengthwise  with  a 
match,  toothpick,  or  sliver  of  bamboo;  slip  the  fer- 
rule on  as  far  as  it  readily  will  go;  heat  ferrule  and 
all  again  over  the  flame  a  moment,  then  by  firmly 
pushing  against  the  floor  or  some  other  solid  object, 
as  the  door-jamb,  quickly  force  the  ferrule  home  to 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        143 

your  mark.  The  excess  of  cement  exuding  from 
between  the  ferrule-end  and  the  wood  is  best  re- 
moved while  yet  hot  and  semi-liquid,  by  a  circular 
wiping  stroke  with  a  rag,  or  better,  by  turning  the 
joint  against  the  rag;  and  when  cold  and  hard,  it 
easily  is  chipped  off  with  a  knife-blade  manipulated 
cautiously. 

As  German-silver  ferrules  are  tempered,  overheat- 
ing directly  in  a  flame  is  injurious  to  the  metal. 

File  down  paper-thin  the  extreme  ends  of  the 
teeth  made  in  serrating,  as  the  silk-winding  is  to  ex- 
tend up  over  them  onto  the  solid  metal;  and,  to  make 
a  "  very  particular  job,"  you  also  may  file  down  the 
whole  length  of  the  outside  surface  of  the  teeth  or 
slit  portions  to  just  beyond  their  bases,  so  that  the 
silk-wrapping,  at  its  termination  on  the  ferrule,  will 
lie  nearly  or  quite  flush  with  the  metal  surface  it  butts 
against.  The  shaded  portions  of  the  illustrations 
of  serrated  and  split  ferrules  represent  this  area  of 
superficial  filing.  One  of  the  teeth  or  sections  be- 
tween slits  will  lie  against  each  flat  surface  of  the 
lod-joint,  except  that  in  the  case  of  the  smaller-top 
ferrules  you  may  make  but  three  serrations  and  have 
a  tooth  lie  along  each  alternate  flat  face  of  the  rod. 

As  a  precaution  against  dampness,  you  may  varn- 
ish the  extreme  joint-ends,  which  receive  the  female 
ferrules,  before  attaching  the  ferrules,  and  then 
when  applying  the  cement  to  the  joint  you  also  can 
spread  a  smooth  coating  of  this  over  the  same  place. 


144      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

There  are  yet  other  devices.  Mr.  W.  L.  Ayles- 
worth,  an  English  authority,  states  that  paraffine  or 
type-metal  is  much  more  penetrating  than  either  var- 
nish, shellac,  or  most  any  other  coating  compound, 
and  that  if  the  paraffine  be  melted,  the  ferrule  heated, 
and  the  paraffine  poured  into  the  ferrule  onto  the 
bare  wood,  It  will  penetrate  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance and  renders  it  absolutely  waterproof.  A 
warmed  glass  medicine-dropper  is  a  handy  tool  with 
which  to  introduce  your  paraffine. 

Mr.  Aylesworth  further  remarks:  "  In  fact,  it 
is  difficult  to  say  which  is  the  better  compound,  for 
both  are  very  penetrating  and  satisfactory  for  this 
purpose.  The  neglect  to  waterproof  wood  at  the  fer- 


Sealing  and  locking  ferrules  with  type-metal 

rules  and  protect  it  from  moisture  probably  has  more 
to  do  with  the  joints  breaking  at  these  places  than  the 
angler  is  aware  of.  It  also  is  a  good  plan  to  turn  or 
file  a  small  groove  around  the  joint,  at  about  an 
eighth  of  an  inch  from  the  end  entering  the  female 
ferrule,  and  to  turn  the  end  down  slightly  so  that 
the  type-metal,  if  used,  will  run  down  between  the 
wood  and  the  ferrule  and  into  the  groove.  This 
will  have  a  tendency  to  solder  the  ferrule  onto  the 
wood.  Melt  the  type-metal  in  a  spoon  or  ladle  and 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        145 

pour  it  in  the  ferrule  on  the  wood  after  cementing, 

by  use  of  a  small  funnel." 

The  present  writer  prefers  to  rely  for  fixation  of 

ferrules  wholly  upon  snug  fitting  and  cement,  and 

he  uses  the  paraffine  for  waterproofing  the  bare  wood 

at  the  joint-ends. 

When  all  your  ferrules  are  fitted,  you  can  make 

some  little  wooden  plugs  for  the  open  ends  of  the 

female  ferrules,  both  to  guard  them  against  injury 
and  to  keep  out  dirt  and  dust.  Stock  fer- 
rules  are  not  supplied  with  any  sealing  de- 
vice, but  handmade  ferrules  may  have 
little  caps  (grease-caps)  that  fit  snugly 


Wood  ferrule-  within   their   ends,    and   which   may   be 
slightly  greased  or  oiled  before  inserting, 
when  the  rod  is  disjointed. 

One-Piece  and  Spliced  Rods. — In  the  endeavor 
wholly  to  obviate  this  rigid  feature  of  metal  fer- 
rule connections  in  rod  construction,  some  rods  — 
especially  veteran  salmon-rods  of  English,  Scotch,  or 
Irish  manufacture,  are  without  ferrules  of  any  kind, 
being  made  to  joint  up  by  a  whipped  splice;  or  again, 
rods  are  made,  even  up  to  eleven  feet  long,  in  one 
clear  length  of  split-bamboo  —  one-piece  or  one- 
joint  rods.  You  rarely  see  today  a  rod  of  either 
description,  and  almost  never  in  America,  as  any 
slight  advantage  of  such  construction  is  not  at  all 
commensurate  either  with  the  greatly-increased  diffi- 
culty of  building  and  the  consequent  extremely  high 


I46      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


cost,  or  with  the  inconvenience  entailed  in  the  trans- 
portation of  or  in  the  putting-up  and  taking-down  of 
the  rod.  A  ferruled  rod,  built  with  the  precautions 
that  have  been  noted,  is  good  enough  for  the  most 
fastidious  angler;  beyond  a  certain  point,  additional 
refinements  belong  within  the  category  of  the  ex- 
quisite rather  than  the  useful. 


|           JPL—  j 

L—  —  r:             J 

Spliced-rod  joint-end   and  cap 

The  manner  of  jointing  the  spliced  rod  may  be 
of  interest  to  the  reader.  The  splicing  ends  of  the 
joints  have  long  bevels,  of  several  inches;  these  are 
reinforced  by  fine  silk-whippings,  and  may  be  pro- 
tected when  the  rod  is  not  in  use  by  metal  caps  which 
slip  over  them.  Before  splicing  the  joints  in  the 
preparation  of  the  rod  for  use,  warmed  shoemak- 
ers'-wax  or  beeswax  is  thoroughly  applied  both  to 
the  beveled  surfaces  of  the  wood  and  to  the  linen- 


Spliced-rod  lashing 


thread  which  binds  the  splice  together.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  circular  turns  of  this  wrapping-thread, 
lashings  running  lengthwise  under  the  former  are 


FERRULES  AND  THEIR  FITTING        147 

sometimes  used,  which  pass  through  little  metal  rings 
or  around  hooks  for  further  security  against  the 
joints  throwing  apart.  (Our  diagrammatic  sketch 
shows  the  splice  rather  short.) 


ROD-MAKING: 
WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ROD-MAKING:  WINDINGS  AND 
GUIDES 

The  silk  windings  (wrappings  or  whippings)  of 
a  split-bamboo  rod,  in  addition  to  securing  the  line- 
guides  in  position  and  serving  as  a  most  effective 
reinforcing  bond  for  holding  together  the  individual 
strips  of  which  each  rod-joint  is  composed,  are  gen- 
erally considered  a  factor  in  adding  to  the  rigidity  of 
the  rod.  In  commercial  practise  the  joints  are  held 
in  a  lathe-like  apparatus  while  being  wound,  but  this 
is  not  at  all  necessary  for  the  limited  operations  of 
the  amateur.  Authorities  on  practical  angling 
nearly  all  believe  that  closer  winding  will  stiffen  a 
rod  appreciably.  From  this  it  might  be  inferred 
that  a  rod  solidly  wound  throughout  its  whole  length 
would  be  very  much  stiffened;  however,  solid  wind- 
ing does  not  work  out  this  way  in  practise,  making 
the  rod  logy  rather,  and  it  is  not  in  favor  with  ex- 
perienced rod  connoisseurs.  In  fact,  some  of  the 
very  finest  modern  rods  have  no  windings  except 
those  that  attach  the  guides  and  overlap  the  ferrules. 

As  already  has  been  mentioned,  the  writer  re- 
gards silk  windings  as  very  much  superior  to  any 

151 


i52      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

form  of  metal  wrappings;  but,  when  he  uses  them 
at  all  except  for  guide  lashings,  he  applies  the  silk  — 
differently  from  the  usual  method  of  a  series  of  in- 
dividual, narrow  circular  bands  —  in  the  form  of 
a  continuous  trellised  or  diamond-patterned  whip- 
ping which  extends  the  whole  length  of  the  joints. 
And  he  whips  with  unwaxed  silk,  just  as  obtained 
from  the  drygoods  store.  For  this  method  he 
claims  the  following  very  practical  advantages, 
wholly  irrespective  of  its  highly  distinctive  appear- 
ance: It  makes  a  good  holding-ground  for  the 
varnish,  the  bare  outer  skin  of  bamboo  offering,  in 
this  respect,  a  surface  not  much  more  acceptable  than 
does  glass  or  steel;  it  supports  or  stiffens  the  rod 
to  a  greater  degree  than  could  the  closest  practical 
individual  bands,  a  good  idea  of  its  effectiveness  be- 
ing obtained  by  comparing  the  "  backbone  "  of  a 
top-joint  thus  wound  —  and  even  before  any  varn- 
ish is  applied  —  with  its  unwound  duplicate;  it  ma- 
terially assists  in  preventing  set;  it  reduces  to  a 
minimum  the  number  of  invisible-end  fastenings 
necessitated  in  the  complete  winding  of  the  rod. 

Unwaxed  silk  is  preferred  as  offering  the  varnish 
a  better  chance  to  penetrate,  shrink  it,  and  glue  it 
down  onto  the  wood.  And  we  do  not  use  the  more 
brittle  white  shellac,  white  French  lacquer,  or  thin 
white  glue  or  mucilage  as  a  preliminary  coating  for 
the  windings,  to  prevent  a  darkening  of  the  silk, 
which  we  do  not  regard  as  at  all  objectionable. 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  153 

(Equal  parts  of  collodion  and  banana  oil  is  used  for 
the  same  purpose.)  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  proper 
colors  and  shades  of  silk  be  selected,  our  personal 
taste  approves  this  increased  depth  of  color  as  im- 
parting a  less  flashy,  richer,  and  altogether  more  ele- 
gant appearance.  But  restrain  your  preference  from 
running  to  delicate,  weakly-defined  shades,  as  you  will 
be  unpleasantly  surprised  to  see  how  they  will  lose 
character  under  the  effect  of  varnish.  If  you  do 
not  want  the  diamond  whipping  to  contrast  with  the 
color  of  the  bamboo,  select  for  this  a  light  orange 
or  a  yellow  shade  and  it  will  be  almost  invisible  ex- 
cept on  close  inspection.  If  you  do  use  white  shellac 
in  alcohol  for  the  primary  coat,  to  preserve  the 
original  shade  of  the  silk,  make  but  the  thinnest  ap- 
plication of  it. 

The  most  satisfactory  colors  for  windings  are 
black,  a  bright  green,  or  red,  yellow,  a  good  brown, 
or  purple  —  neither  of  the  latter  in  too  dark  a  shade 
and  all  these  used  either  in  one  solid  color  or 
in  various  combinations.  Yellow  and  red,  yellow 
and  green,  or  green  and  black  are  good  used  to- 
gether. 

We  employ  the  size  A  silk,  commonly  used  in  mil- 
linery and  dressmaking,  and  thus  readily  obtainable 
at  any  drygoods  "  emporium."  This  is  about  the 
thickness  of  what  the  tackle-dealers  grade  as  medium 
or  coarse ;  for  the  finer  silk-thread  in  colors  you  must 
apply  either  to  them  or  to  jobbers  in  the  trade,  as 


154      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

you  will  not  find  it  on  general  sale,  though  perchance 
on  occasion  at  the  "  art-embroidery  "  counter  of  one 
of  the  larger  department-stores.  To  be  sure,  you 
can  split  the  A  silk  and  make  use  of  only  a  part  of  its 
strands;  this,  however,  hardly  without  waxing.  But 
if  your  ideal  in  rods  is  represented  by  a  good  service- 
able article,  not  much  under  five  ounces  in  weight, 
the  A  size  is  none  too  heavy.  Rods  are  made  much 
lighter  than  this  and  they  are  very  exquisite;  and 
may  be  very  efficient,  too  —  for  the  expert  under  the 
usual  conditions  prevailing  in  the  smaller  streams. 
Yet  we  have  seen  a  sixteen-inch  brown  trout,  Salmo 
fario,  in  a  four-foot-wide  stretch  of  water;  and  even 
though  the  size  of  the  fish  in  the  small  streams  may 
average  seven  to  nine  inches  in  length,  the  fisherman 
never  knows  when  that  whopper  will  grab  his  fly,  nor 
in  what  difficult  situation  he  may  be  obliged  to  con- 
trol him  promptly  if  the  prize  is  to  be  creeled  — 
and  where  is  the  angler  who  would  not  gladly  sacri- 
fice all  his  smaller  catch  rather  than  lose  that  chance 
big  fellow? 

The  brands  of  silk-thread  found  usually  in  the 
stores  are  either  the  Corticelli,  Belding,  or  Heming- 
way. We  have  no  choice,  but  can  indicate  by  the 
numbers  stamped  on  the  respective  spools  the  shades 
in  the  Hemingway  brand  that  will  work  out  effec- 
tively. These  are:  purple,  number  794  —  or  very 
dark,  1044;  brown,  number  484;  green,  891;  and 
red,  633.  There  is  a  shade  of  green  in  the  Corti- 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  155 

celli  brand  very  like  the  Hemingway  891,  but  hav- 
ing a  yellower  glint,  that  is  a  bit  better. 

Start  the  continuous  winding  at  the  butt-end  of 
the  rod-joint,  by  making  a  few  circular  turns  of  the 
silk  away  from  you;  the  end  is  caught  beneath  these 
initial  turns  (Fig.  i),  and  wetting  the  end  of  the 

AC 


Fig.  i  —  Silk  winding 

silk  will  prevent  it  from  slipping  when  you  com- 
mence. You  now  are  holding  the  joint  in  your  left 
hand  and  its  butt  or  male-ferrule  end  is  directed  to 
the  right.  To  ascertain  the  exact  point  of  starting, 
A,  you  must  measure  off  from  the  joint-end,  B,  a 
sufficient  distance  nicely  to  clear  the  other  end  of 
the  ferrule,  at  C,  as  the  ferrule  winding  is  to  be  a 
separate  affair. 

Next,  turn  the  joint  butt-end  to  your  left;  hold 
the  circular  turns  with  your  left  thumb  while  cutting 
off  short  the  silk-end,  D,  with  a  sharp  knife;  and 
start  to  wind  a  spiral  toward  the  smaller  end,  rotat- 
ing the  joint  away  from  you  between  the  fingers  of 
the  left  hand,  while  you  hold  the  silk  (E)  taut  be- 
tween the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  right  hand, 


i56      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


X        V 


Fig.  2  —  Silk  winding 

pulling  toward  you  and  to  the  right  (Fig.  2).  The 
spool-end,  E,  is  rendering  from  the  spool  as  you  hold 
the  latter  in  your  hand,  or  as  it  rests  in  a  convenient 
receptacle  to  prevent  its  rolling  away. 

The  symmetrically-graduated  spacing  of  this  first 
spiral-winding  is  guided  entirely  by  the  eye.  For 
butt-joints,  the  writer  starts  the  turns  spaced  from 
three-quarters  to  five-eighths  of  an  inch,  and  grad- 
ually runs  them  down  to  one-half  inch  apart  at  the 
smaller  end;  on  middle-joints,  the  turns  are  spaced 
one-half  inch  at  butt,  gradually  diminishing  to  one- 
quarter  inch;  and  for  the  top-joint,  they  run  from 
one-quarter  inch  down  to  one-eighth  inch  at  the  rod's 
tip.  On  the  butt-joint  he  lays  up  three  courses  of 
windings  to  each  spiral,  side  by  side,  two  courses 
similarly  on  the  middle-  and  a  single-thread  course 
on  the  top-joint. 

To  know  when  to  terminate  the  spiral-windings 
at  the  female-ferrule  end  of  the  joint,  you  previously 

D  a 


v    v    v 


Fig.  3  —  Silk  winding 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  157 

must  have  noted  the  spot  (A,  Fig.  3)  by  a  pencil- 
mark,  after  measuring  from  the  ferrule-end,  B,  a 
sufficient  distance  both  to  clear  the  ferrule  and  to 
allow  space  for  the  line-guide,  D,  that  is  to  be  located 
here.  End  the  spiral  by  a  few  close  turns  at  A; 
then  turn  the  joint  so  that  the  end  B  is  again  directed 
to  your  left,  and  start  the  return  spiral.  For  all 
spiral-windings  returning  over  the  same  course  you 
must  reverse  your  thread  by  looping  it  and  catching 


Fig.  4  —  Silk  winding 


the  loop  with  a  few  circular  turns  that  are  cast  over 
it,  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  4.  Do  not  mind  any  bunch- 
ing of  circular  turns  here,  as  both  the  loops  and  these 
circular  turns  are  but  temporary,  and  all  will  be  cut 
away  later,  when  a  smooth,  permanent  circular- 
winding  takes  their  place.  This  looping  maneuver 
is  necessitated  in  laying  the  second  and  third  courses 
of  each  spiral-winding  on  butt-joints,  and  for  the 
second  course  on  middle-joints.  To  produce  the 
diamond-whipping  on  top-joints,  in  single-thread 
spirals,  it  is  not  necessary;  you  then  continue  to  wind 
ahead  without  reversing  the  thread,  till  the  four 
spirals  are  finished,  simply  by  crossing  your  thread 


i58      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

—  after  completing  one  circular  turn  which  termi- 
nates each  spiral  course  —  and  by  reversing  the 
joint,  end  for  end,  which  starts  you  back  all  right 
when  a  succeeding  spiral  is  to  be  wound  in  the  same 
direction  around  the  joint,  but  lengthwise  of  the 
joint  in  a  direction  opposite  to  that  taken  by  its  im- 
mediate predecessor.  Complex  as  this  may  sound, 
it  really  is  the  acme  of  simplicity  in  operation,  as 
you  will  learn  at  the  very  first  attempt. 

In  order  to  have  the  spacing  of  the  second  spiral 
conform  to  that  of  the  one  first  wound,  it  is  neces- 
sary only  to  see  that  the  threads  of  the  two  spirals 


Fig.   5  —  Silk  winding 

cross  at  the  same  angular  side  of  the  rod-joint, 
which  you  select  in  preference  to  a  flat  surface,  for 
more  accurate  guidance  (A,  Fig.  5). 

Two  additional  spirals  are  needed  to  produce  the 
closer  trellised  or  diamond  effect  sought,  and  these 
are  laid  so  as  to  halve  the  space  (as  shown  by  the 
dotted  lines  in  the  illustration)  between  the  spirals 
previously  wound,  the  eye  alone  readily  serving  here 
as  an  efficient  guide. 

Intricate  as  the  process  may  appear  from  the  ulti- 
mate result,  the  reader  soon  will  understand  that  it 
is  only  the  first  spirals  over  each  joint  that  must  be 
wound  with  a  great  deliberation  and  care  as  to  sym- 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  159 

metrically-graduated  spacing.  That  does  determine 
the  outcome,  but  the  subsequent  spirals  are  wound 
with  increasing  rapidity.  Attention  is  directed  also 
to  the  fact  that  even  the  most  serious  mishap  to  any 
part  of  the  continuous  winding,  after  the  rod  is  com- 
pleted, in  no  case  necessitates  rewinding  the  whole 
joint,  but  only  of  the  short  interval  between  two  con- 
secutive solid  windings,  whether  guide-  or  ferrule- 
wrappings. 

All  rod-windings  are  terminated  finally  by  an  "  in- 
visible-knot "  ending.  Before  taking  up  the  ques- 
tion of  guide-  and  ferrule-wrappings  and  their  loca- 
tion on  the  rod  —  the  detailed  layout  —  we  will 
describe  several  ways  of  making  the  invisible  knot  or 
whip  finish,  which,  after  all,  attain  but  one  and  the 
same  result.  The  winder  soon  will  find  that  the 
particular  method  which  is  most  convenient  will  de- 
pend both  on  himself  and  on  the  particular  location 
of  a  winding,  or  on  other  special  conditions  under 
which  he  is  compelled  to  make  the  fastening.  The 
mystery  of  this  is  the  chief  secret  of  rod-winding, 
and  it  really  is  no  "  knot "  at  all,  but  a  trick  of 
burying  the  end  under  the  final  turns  in  order  at  once 
to  get  it  out  of  the  way  and  to  keep  the  winding 
from  unwrapping. 

The  illustrations  that  follow,  Figures  I  to  9,  show 
windings  made  with  a  coarse  thread  instead  of  the 
actual  winding-silk,  for  the  purpose  of  clearer  delin- 
eation. 


160      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


We  start  a  solid  circular-winding  in  exactly  the 
same  way  that  we  started  the  spiral-winding,  that  is 
by  catching  the  starting-end  of  the  thread  under  the 
first  few  coils.  When  nearing  the  end  of  your  wrap- 
ping, hold  the  last  tight  coil,  A,  with  the  thumb  of 


Fig.  i 


Fig.  4 


Fig.  5 


Fig.  2  Fig.  3  _     . 

Silk  winding:   (i)   Starting  the  loose  coils;  (2)  Free  end  of  silk  run  under; 

(3)  Loose  coils  wound  tightly  over  terminal  end  —  awl-point  holds  loop; 

(4)  The  loop  drawn   in;    (5)    Separate-loop  method 

the  left  hand,  while  —  after  cutting  the  silk  to  allow 
a  sufficiently  long  end  —  with  the  other  hand  you 
make  several  loose  coils,  B,  in  the  same  direction 
around  the  joint  as  previously,  but  a  short  distance 
from  and  winding  back  toward  this  last  tight  coil; 
insert  the  free  end  of  the  silk,  C,  under  the  coil,  A, 
held  by  the  left  thumb ;  continue  the  winding  by  hold- 
ing on  to  the  loop,  D,  which  unwraps  the  loose  coils 
while  at  the  same  time  it  transfers  them  into  tight 
coils  laid  up  against  the  completed  section  of  the 
permanent  winding  and  binds  the  terminal  silk-end 
tightly  underneath;  insert  a  large  pin,  point  of  a 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  161 

finishing-nail,  or  any  similar  pointed  instrument  (a 
shoemakers'-awl  is  most  handy  for  this)  through  the 
loop,  E,  which  holds  it  taut  to  prevent  it  from  kink- 
ing, then  draw  the  loop  up  close  to  this,  drop  or  pull 
out  the  pin  (or  whatever  your  bodkin  may  be),  and 
at  the  same  instant  quickly  pull  the  end,  C,  up  tight; 
cut  off  the  surplus  free  end  close  to  where  it  emerges 
from  the  wrapping,  with  a  quick  sawing  motion  of  a 
sharp  knife. 

A  modification  of  the  above  method  makes  use 
of  a  separate  loop  of  heavy,  waxed  linen-thread,  for 
the  purpose  of  pulling  the  terminal  silk-end  under 
the  last  few  coils,  which  already  have  been  wound 
tight.  The  loop  (A,  Fig.  5)  is  laid  in  place  length- 
wise of  the  rod-joint  as  you  approach  the  end  of  a 
wrapping,  several  coils  are  carried  over  it,  and  then 
the  free  end  of  the  winding-thread,  B,  is  pushed 
through  the  loop  and  pulled  under  and  out,  where 
the  loop  emerges  at  C.  In  using  very  fine  winding- 
silk,  a  fine  needle  may  be  substituted  for  the  loop, 
and  the  end  of  the  thread  inserted  through  its  eye. 

Another  method,  that  the  author  frequently 
adopts,  consists  in  making  the  final  loose  turns  both 
over  joint  and  the  tapered  end  of  a  miniature  marlin- 
pin  or  a  lead-pencil  point  laid  alongside  of  the  joint. 
The  end  then  is  turned  back  through  these  coils,  be- 
tween the  marlin-pin  and  the  joint,  as  Fig.  6  depicts; 
the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand  holds  the  last  tight 
coil  against  the  joint  as  the  marlin-pin  is  withdrawn. 


162      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

The  first  loose  coil,  B,  then  is  picked  up  by  inserting 
under  it  the  point  of  the  shoemakers'-awl ;  the  thread- 
end,  C,  is  caught  by  tightening  this  coil,  and  the  re- 
maining loose  coils  are  laid  up  against  the  rest  of 
the  wrapping,  which  is  completed  in  the  same  manner 
as  described  above. 

The  most  ingenious  method  of  all,  but  not  always 
applicable,  is  first  to  decide  under  how  many  coils 
you  wish  to  bury  the  terminal-end,  and  then  to  throw 


Fig.    6  Fig.    7  Fig.    8  Fig.    9 

Silk  winding:    (6)    Marlin-pin  method;    (7,8,  and  9)   Method  in  which 
terminal  coils   are   thrown   first   around  joint 

these  coils  loosely  around  the  joint  upon  beginning 
the  wrapping.  The  silk  is  not  cut  until  all  is  fin- 
ished and  pulled  taut,  so  none  is  wasted.  It  prac- 
tically is  a  reversal  of  the  method  first  described. 
Referring  to  Fig.  7,  suppose  that  it  is  desired  to 
start  at  A  and  to  wind  toward  the  bottom  of  the 
page.  B  is  the  spool-end  of  the  silk,  C  indicates  four 
loose  coils,  and  D  is  the  loose-end  of  the  silk.  The 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  163 

first  step  is  to  catch  the  end,  D,  under  the  first  turn 
of  the  wrapping,  as  shown  in  Fig.  8.  You  now  can 
wind  ahead,  holding  the  silk  at  G  and  rotating  the 
joint  to  the  left,  as  far  as  you  like.  As  the  F-end  of 
the  loose  coils  is  renewed  from  the  spool  as  fast  as 
the  E-end  unwinds,  these  four  coils  are  carried  right 
along  throughout  the  whole  wrapping.  When  ready 
to  end  the  winding,  passing  the  spool-end  of  the  silk, 
B  (spool  and  all),  under  the  winding-thread,  G, 
catches  it  as  shown  in  Fig.  9.  Continue  the  wrap- 
ping to  dispose  of  the  four  loose  coils,  pull  the  end 
(B)  taut,  cut  it  short,  and  your  wrapping  is  com- 
pleted. 

A  hexagonal  lead-pencil  and  a  piece  of  ordinary 
wrapping-twine  are  good  materials  with  which  to 
practise  the  details  of  these  windings  and  endings. 

When  making  solid  wrappings,  press  all  the  coils 
firmly  together  from  time  to  time,  with  some  suit- 
able blunt  instrument,  as  the  edge  of  a  paper-cutter 
or  back  of  a  table-knife;  and  when  completed,  before 
varnishing,  rub  them  smooth  with  the  rounding 
handle  of  a  tooth-brush  —  all  the  better  if  it  is  of  the 
old-time  genuine  bone  variety.  Also  at  this  time 
you  may  apply  a  match-  or  candle-flame  for  an  in- 
stant to  any  fuzz  or  thread-ends  that  may  be  pro- 
jecting in  an  unsightly  fashion;  but  an  alcohol  flame 
is  the  best,  being  less  likely  to  smudge  light-colored 
silk.  You  readily  can  detect  these  ends  by  sighting 
lengthwise  along  the  joint,  as  you  slowly  rotate  it. 


164      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

We  are  assuming,  now,  that  all  ferrules  have  been 
serrated  or  split  and  are  cemented  in  position,  that 
the  diamond-whipping  is  in  place,  and  that  a  prelim- 
inary thin  coat  of  varnish  has  been  applied  to  the 
joint  and  is  dry.  We  have  yet  to  bind  on  the  line- 
guides  and  to  put  on  the  ferrule-wrappings.  This 
is  done  with  individual  close-laid  or  solid  circular- 
windings,  and  they  constitute  all  of  the  windings  of 
this  character  that  are  needed  on  any  rod-joints  that 
previously  have  been  wound  as  we  have  described. 

Naturally,  we  first  must  determine  how  many 
guides  we  shall  use  and  just  where  they  shall  be 


7?* 


Guide  and  winding  layout  for  xo-foot  fly-rod 

located;  also  whether  these  solid  wrappings  shall  be 
of  the  same  color  as  the  diamond-winding  or  of  a 
contrasting  color.  To  the  writer's  taste,  all-green 
windings,  yellow  touched  off  with  red  or  green,  or 
green  touched  with  black  make  a  strong  appeal.  Let 
us  suppose  that  we  have  agreed  upon  the  latter,  and 
that  we  now  are  at  work  on  the  ten-foot  fly-rod. 
Our  winding-plan  would  be  as  shown  in  the  accom- 
panying diagram,  the  figures  indicating  the  distances 
in  inches  from  guide-center  to  guide-center,  when  the 
rod  is  assembled.  The  darker  windings  are  those 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  165 

of  the  black  silk,  and  these,  beginning  with  the  three 
bands  grouped  at  the  rod-butt,  which  are  a  scant  one- 
eighth  inch  wide,  should  gradually  diminish  in  width 
all  the  way  to  the  rod's  tip,  where  they  may  consist 
of  only  four  or  five  turns  of  thread.  When  making 
top-joints  in  duplicate  or  triplicate,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  distinguish  them  by  special  arrangements  of  bands 
at  their  tips;  you  then  can  always  identify  the  par- 
ticular one  in  use. 

After  the  positions  of  the  guides  are  located, 
bands  of  black  silk  are  wound  around  the  joint,  over 
the  spiral-winding  at  each  point  where  the  guide- 
wrapping  will  come,  and  in  such  a  way  that  each  solid 
guide-wrapping  of  green  will  be  set  off  at  its  ends 
with  a  narrow  black  border.  When  once  these  are 
in  place,  and  in  addition  to  the  rest  of  the  joint  have 
had  their  preliminary  coat  of  varnish  to  hold  the 
silk  here,  the  spiral-winding  is  cut  and  unwound  be- 
tween them  at  each  guide-site;  the  guides  then  are 
bound  on  close  against  the  wood,  when  their  wrap- 
pings may  receive  a  first  coat  of  varnish. 

Note  that  a  guide  is  placed  at  each  ferrule-connec- 
tion, at  its  lower  and  stronger  side.  Some  further 
detail  is  called  for  concerning  the  guide-windings  at 
the  ferrules  and  the  ferrule-windings  themselves,  and 
reference  to  the  accompanying  diagram  will  mate- 
rially aid  in  understanding  about  this.  Before  start- 
ing to  wind  on  a  guide  at  the  end  of  a  joint  or  to 
wrap  a  ferrule,  first  we  place  a  smooth,  permanent 


166      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

circular-wrapping  (A)  alongside  and  below  the 
lumpy,  temporary  circular  turns  at  the  ends  of  the 
diamong-whipping;  we  then  cut  away  these  unsightly 
coils  of  the  first  or  spiral  winding  that  were  necessi- 
tated in  applying  it.  We  now  have  a  clear  space 
from  A  to  E,  and  we  use  the  length  of  the  guide  ( C) , 
which  is  to  be  located  here,  as  a  measure  for  the 
exact  extent  of  this  space. 

All  guides  are  wound  solidly  from  end  to  end 
—  that  is,  the  winding  extends  underneath  the  ele- 


/r 

Guide  and  ferrule  wrapping 

vated  part  of  the  guide;  and  the  wrappings  at  the 
ferrules  cover  in  the  serrated  ends  up  to  and  lapping 
the  solid  metal,  at  E,  to  prevent  access  of  water  or 
dampness  at  that  end  of  the  ferrule.  From  A  to  E 
the  winding  consists  of  three  sections.  It  is  started 
at  D  —  the  point  on  the  rod-joint  where  the  shank 
or  foot  of  the  guide  meets  its  standing  part;  then 
is  carried  to  B,  when  the  guide  is  placed  in  position 
and  its  proximal  (lower  or  inner)  shank  is  covered 
in,  from  B  to  A;  and  it  ends  with  its  last  coil  close 
up  against  the  band  at  A.  The  other  shank  (distal, 
upper  or  outer  foot)  of  the  guide,  C,  overlaps  about 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  167 

half-way  the  ferrule-tooth  that  lies  on  the  flat  sur- 
face of  the  joint  to  which  the  guide  is  applied.  The 
ends  both  of  this  shank  of  the  guide  and  of  the 
ferrule-tooth  have  previously  been  filed  down  thin 
with  the  little  saw-file.  The  wrapping  is  completed 
by  the  wholly  independent  section  represented  by 
D  —  E,  starting  at  D ;  thus  this  section  alone  must  be 
removed  for  the  purpose  of  re-cementing  a  loosened 
female-ferrule,  and  the  guide  is  not  disturbed  in  its 
position. 

Before  securing  any  guides  to  the  rod,  it  is  most 
important  that  it  should  experimentally  have  been 
jointed  up  with  different  flat  surfaces  of  its  respec- 
tive sections  in  alignment,  in  order  to  determine  whar 
particular  arrangement  gives  the  best  results;  and 
when  this  has  been  accomplished  you  should  mark 
the  guide  surfaces  of  each  joint  for  future  identifi- 
cation. However  carefully  you  have  endeavored  to 
center  the  ferrules  on  the  joints,  you  probably  will 
be  surprised  to  find  when  the  rod  is  jointed  up  in 
certain  ways  that  there  will  be  produced  quite  a 
decided  angular  deflection  at  least  at  one  of  the 
junctions,  but  which  a  slight  rotation  of  one  of  the 
connecting  pieces  may  correct.  If  not  satisfactor- 
ily remedied  in  this  way,  then  joint  the  two  rod- 
sections  together  in  their  best  position  and  hold  the 
union  —  both  including  ferrules  and  the  wood  within 
them  —  over  the  alcohol-lamp  flame,  heat  all  very 
carefully  but  thoroughly,  and  then  very  cautious  but 


168      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


firm  manipulation  between  the  hands  —  one  at  either 
side  of  the  ferrule-joint  with  thumbs  extended  — 
will  solve  the  difficulty. 

With  due  regard  to  what  has  been  said  above,  you 
should  try  also  to  have  any  rod-joint  which  may  show 
a  slight  long  bend  extending  throughout  its  whole 
length,  so  placed  that  the  flat  side  most  identified 
with  the  convexity  shall  be  the  down  or  guide  side 
when  the  rod  is  held  in  position  of  use  —  with  reel 
underneath,  for  the  fly-rod.  In  other  words,  the 
guides  should  line  up  when  the  rod-sections  are 
jointed  in  the  best  possible  position,  looking  to  the 
truest  alignment  and  best  action  of  the  whole  rod. 
It  now  remains  to  consider  the  guides  themselves ; 
what  kind  shall  we  use? 

For  both  bottom-  and  tip-guides  —  points  of  great- 
est friction  —  we  should  select  appropriate  agate  or 
phosphor-bronze  guides;  and  some 
pretty  good  imitation-agate  guides 
have  been  marketed,  at  a  material 
reduction  in  cost  from  the  price  of 
the  genuine.  Very  satisfactory,  and 
by  not  a  few  anglers  preferred  even 
to  agate,  is  what  is  known  as  the 
"  Perfection"  tip-guide;  it  is  made 
in  Denver,  by  the  Perfection  Tip 
of  file-proof  tungsten  steel  with  German- 
silver  tube.  It  is  light,  neat,  and  practically  inde- 
structible and  frictionless.  It  costs  fifty  cents. 


Agate    angle    fly    tip 
guides 


Co., 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES 


169 


The  same  concern  makes  also  of  similar  material 
splendidly  efficient  and  durable  butt-guides,  and  reel- 
guides  that  may  be  attached  to  a 
cross-bar.  For  the  other  (interme- 
diate) guides  on  your  fly-rod  you 
want  a  standing  form  of  guide  that 
is  called  the  "  snake  "  guide,  and 
these  to  be  of  steel  and  not  of  Ger- 
man-silver, which  latter  soon  is 
grooved  by  the  friction  of  the  line. 
Snake-guides  were  once  an  English 
innovation  but  long  have  ceased  to  "Perfection"  steel 

c  .  tip-guide  for  fly-rod 

be  a  novelty,  being  almost  univer-     (enlarged) 
sally  used  today  on  all  makes  of  the  highest-class 
rods;    both    in    appearance    and    utility    they    are 
a  great  advance  over  the  old  ring-and-keeper  de- 

$  4  3          2         I       I/O      2/0     3/tt 


Modern  steel   snake-guides  and  old   ring-and-keeper  device 

vice.     The  line  is  not  so  likely  to  foul  them,  and 
it  renders  much  more  freely  through  them,  so  that 


i7o      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

the  cast  as  well  as  the  length  of  life  of  the  line 
both  are  thereby  influenced  favorably.  There  is 
one  remaining  convenient  use  for  the  ring  with 
keeper  —  that  is  to  attach  one  at  the  butt  of  your 
rod  just  above  the  handgrasp,  to  hook  your  fly  into 
when  not  in  use. 

Our  illustration  shows  how  these  snake-guides  are 
numbered  according  to  their  gradation  in  size,  from 
3/0  up  to  5.  They  may  be  purchased  from  almost 
any  tackle-house  for  about  twenty  cents  a  dozen. 


9  10 

Agate    (German-silver   mounted)    light   "  Tournament ' 

Reference  to  a  previous  illustration,  "  Guide  and 
winding  layout,"  will  show  that  the  fly-rods  of  nine 
feet  and  over  carry  twelve  of  these  guides;  and  from 
butt  to  tip  we  use  them  in  this  order  and  in  about 
these  sizes:  4,  3,  2,  2,  2,  i,  I,  i/o,  i/o,  2/0,  2/0,  3/0. 
For  eight-foot  rods,  use  two  guides  less  and  space 
them  as  follows,  beginning  at  the  butt-end :  Bottom- 
guide  is  17/4  inches  from  butt  of  rod;  from  its  center 
to  center  of  bottom  intermediate-guide,  9%  inches; 
next  space,  9  inches;  then  8%,  7%,  7%,  6%,  6%,  6%, 
5%,  5,  and  4%  inches  respectively. 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES  171 

For  the  bottom-guide  on  the  fly-rod,  the  author 
uses  the  light  "  Tournament  "  agate-guide,  as  pic- 
tured, which  vom  Hofe  cataloged  as  size  number 
10,  and  which  used  to  cost 
thirty-five  cents  (there  was  a 
smaller  size,  number  9)  ;  and 
for  the  agate  tip-guide,  vom 
Hofe's  tubular  form,  %4  inch  in 
diameter,  costing  thirty  cents.8 
Another  neat  English  device  is 
an  agate  angle  tip-guide,  with 

.          '         .        English    agate   angle   fly    tip- 

two  legs,  made  to  wind  on  in-  guide  for  winding  on 
stead  of  to  be  cemented.  Abbey  and  Imbrie,  97 
Chambers,  New  York,  have  carried  these,  at  fifty 
cents.  The  same  firm  had  also  a  similar  device 
in  a  larger  size,  but  all  in  bronze,  the  guide-ring 
turning  within  its  encircling  wire  loop,  which  they 
sold  for  forty  cents  ;  they  are  nice  for  mounting  bait- 
or  trolling-tops. 

For  the  short,  bait-casting  rod,  we  have  adopted 
the  layout  shown  below  (Fig.  i),  all  of  the  guides 


Fig.    i  —  Guide  layout  for  short,  bait-casting  rod 

being  attached  to  the  top-joint.  The  bottom-guide 
is  of  the  same  style  as  that  selected  for  the  fly-rod, 
but  in  the  larger  size,  number  12.  The  agate  tip- 

8  We  note  again  that  all  these  are  pre-war  prices. 


i72     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


guide  is  vom  Hofe's  "  West- 
ern offset "  style,  %4  inch 
in  diameter  (number  2/0), 
priced  at  forty  cents.  The 
same  size  in  the  "  Dowagiac  " 
pattern  was  sold  at  thirty-five 
cents.  The  two  intermediate 
guides  are  the  same  maker's 
"  Improved  "  or  one-ring  cast- 
ing style,  numbers  I  and  o  re- 
spectively; price  nine  cents  each.  Abbey  and  Imbrie 
used  to  stock  phosphor-bronze  revolving-center 


Agate 


'  Western  " 
tip-guide 


3/0 
6/64 


casting 


4/0 
7/64 


3/0 
8/64 


2/0 
9/64 


1/0 
10/64 


"  Dowagiac  "  pattern  agate  casting  tip-guide 


guides  mounted  like  these  one-ring  casting-guides; 
the  idea  of  the  revolving-center  feature  is  that  the 
line  will  draw  equally  against  all  sides  of  the  ring 
and  so  will  eliminate  grooving.  They  are  quite  as 
effective  as  agate-guides  and  much  less  liable  to 
breakage. 


WINDINGS  AND  GUIDES 


173 


German-silver  "  Improved  "  one-ring  casting-guide 

Some  anglers  would  prefer  to  locate  the  bottom- 
guide  of  the  bait-casting  rod  a  few  inches  ahead  of 
the  ferrule,  rather  than  at  the  fer- 
rule as  shown  in  Fig.  i  above;  and 
they  would  use  only  one  intermedi- 
ate guide  between  that  and  the  tip, 
placing  but  three  guides  on  this  rod, 
in  all. 

In  order  to  permit  equalization 
of  the  strain  on  two  sides  of  the  top- 
Agate  stirrup-pattem   joint,  the  guides  may  be  attached  in 

casting  tip-guide  .  . 

pairs,  after  the  usual  manner  em- 
ployed in  the  heavier,  surf-casting  rods  (Fig.  2); 
in  this  case  the  tip-guide  should  not  be  offset  but 


Fig.  2  —  Paired  guides 


should  be  one  of  center  alignment,  stirrup  pattern, 
as  shown.  Abbey  and  Imbrie  sell  it,  size  number 
3%,  for  sixty-five  cents,  in  agate;  in  imitation  agate, 
thirty-five  cents. 


ROD-MAKING: 
HANDGRASP  AND  REELSEAT 


ROD-MAKING:  HANDGRASP  AND 
REELSEAT 

The  handle  of  a  rod  is  termed  the  handgrasp. 
It  preferably  is  made  of  superimposed  perforated 
disks  of  solid  cork,  cemented  together  and  upon  a 
common  core,  and  then  trimmed  to  shape  and 
smoothed  up  with  sandpaper.  In  most  instances 
the  core  is  the  lowermost  section  of  the  butt  rod- 
joint  itself,  but  whether  or  no,  the  usual  practise  is 
to  incorporate  the  handgrasp  with  its  adjacent  reel- 
seat  inseparably  with  the  butt-joint. 

In  contradistinction  to  this,  the  author  wishes  to 
emphasize  at  once  his  hearty  agreement  with  the 
plan  advocated  by  the  late  Henry  P.  Wells,  of  fitting 
to  the  rod  an  Independent  grasp,  chiefly  for  its  emi- 
nently practical  value  in  preventing  the  rod  from 
becoming  permanently  bent  or  set  under  unusually 
severe  strain  of  casting  or  the  playing  of  a  heavy 
fish.  With  this  arrangement  the  whole  rod  may 
be  rotated  at  the  handgrasp  ferrule,  so  that  it  may 
be  used  either  with  the  guides  underneath  or  on  its 
upper  surface,  the  reel  always  remaining  properly 
seated,  on  the  under  side  of  the  reelseat;  and  the 
maximum  strain  thus  is  transferred  alternately  from 

177 


178     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

one  side  of  the  rod  to  the  other.  A  further  inno- 
vation made  by  Mr.  Wells  (the  law  was  his  voca- 
tion though  angling  was  his  loved  avocation)  con- 
sisted in  shaping  the  grasp  more  perfectly  to  the 
grip  of  the  hand  than  had  been  the  custom;  and 
this  whole  device,  combining  the  two  distinctive  fea- 
tures of  separability  and  shape,  has  since  been  known 
to  anglers  as  the  "  Wells  grip." 

It  is  true  that  a  rod  so  built  is  increased  in  weight 
to  the  extent  of  the  added  pair  of  ferrules  which  are 
necessary  for  the  seating  of  the  butt-joint  within 
the  handgrasp  —  perhaps  three-quarters  of  an  ounce. 
But  it  is  weight  in  a  good  place;  furthermore,  this 
may  be  offset  by  use  of  the  extremely  light  yet  very 
serviceable  fly-rod  reels  that  are  available  today, 
and  by  dispensing  with  the  solid  reelseat  of  metal  in 
favor  of  simple  reel  bands,  the  so-called  skeleton 
reelseat. 

A  metal  reelseat  is  altogether  unnecessary  in  the 
rod  adapted  for  fly-  and  the  lighter  bait-fishing,  and 
again,  the  inclusion  of  all  this  "  tin  "  certainly  adds 
nothing  in  elegance  of  finish  to  such  a  dainty  con- 
trivance. When  it  comes  to  the  short,  bait-casting 
rod,  with  the  strenuous  reel  work  that  is  imperative 
in  its  use  and  the  manifest  advantage  here  of  some 
form  of  locking  reel-band,  that  is  an  entirely  differ- 
ent story,  and  we  welcome  the  metal  reelseat  as  a 
most  appropriate  feature  of  the  rod,  under  these 
conditions. 


HANDGRASP  AND  REELSEAT  179 

Not  only  do  we  prefer  the  specially-shaped  and 
independent  grasp,  but  we  like  it  very  well  when 
made  of  our  common  native  red  cedar  —  for  the 
lightest  rods  and  except  for  prolonged  use.  This 
makes  a  very  attractive  handle,  as  cedar  is  very 
light,  is  easily  worked  into  shape,  is  of  a  pleasing 
color,  takes  a  beautiful  polish,  and  does  not  show 
soil  after  use.  It  affords  the  best  material  for  the 
reelseat,  whether  or  no  the  grasp  itself  be  made  of 
cork. 

The  pattern  of  grasp  that  we  shall  illustrate  fits 
the  hand  nicely  and  we  shall  therefore  be  at  some 
pains  to  give  the  exact  dimensions,  and  to  explain 
just  how  it,  with  the  reelseat,  is  built  from  one  piece 
of  wood. 

You  should,  some  months  previously,  have  gone 
to  the  woods  and  chopped  down  a  small  cedar  tree, 
which  you  have  had  ripped  at  the  sawmill  into  boards 
i%  inches  thick,  and  which  since  then  have  been  sea- 
soning against  the  time  when  you  would  be  ready 
to  make  use  of  them.  Your  grasp  you  now  pro- 
ceed to  carve  out  of  a  piece  of  this  cedar,  i%  inches 
square  and  10%  inches  long;  and  it  is  not  difficult, 
as  already  intimated. 

The  thing  first  to  do  is  to  bore-  a  hole  in  the  end 
that  is  to  receive  the  female  or  socket  ferrule,  before 
any  attempt  is  made  at  shaping  the  wood.  The  fer- 
rule size  at  the  grasp,  for  a  ten-foot  rod,  is  %e 
inch,  but  the  hole  must  receive  the  outside  ferrule, 


i8o     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


and  its  outside  diameter  is  1%2  inch.  You  will  need 
for  this  job  a  drill-bit,  which  you  can  obtain  —  with 
a  square  shank  for  use  in  a  brace  —  in  this  diam- 
eter; the  wood-boring  bits  are  more  coarsely  graded 
in  size  than  are  drill-bits.  For  the  nine-  or  nine  and 
one-half-foot  rod,  the  handgrasp  ferrule  is  %  inch, 
and  you  want  a  1%2-inch  drill-bit  for 
boring  for  its  handle  socket. 

Place  the  piece  of  cedar  in  the 
vise  at  such  an  angle  that  will  enable 
you  to  sight  conveniently  along  the 
bit  as  you  stand  and  bore;  and  bore 
slowly,  and  as  straight  as  possible 
down  the  center  of  the  wood,  to  the 
required  depth. 

Now  you  want  to  find  out  just 
how  nearly  you  have  succeeded  in 
centering  that  hole.  To  do  this, 
take  your  butt-joint  or  any  straight 
stick  that  will  serve  —  winding  the 
end  with  thread  if  necessary  for  a 
snug  fit  —  and  thrust  this  down  into 
the  cedar  block  to  the  full  depth  of 
the  boring.  Next  sight  along  your 
joint  or  stick  and  see  if  you  have  it 
properly  aligned  with  the  grasp. 


Fig.    i — Independent   _   _  ,.,      ,  ...     r      . 

wood  grasp  Most  likely  you  will  find  that  the 
present  condition  of  affairs  is  that  represented  in 
Fig.  i  —  you  have  quite  a  decided  angular  deflec- 


HANDGRASP  AND  REELSEAT  181 

tion  between  joint  and  grasp,  despite  all  your  care 
to  have  that  hole  straight.  In  order  to  correct 
this,  by  accurately  centering  the  joint  in  its  socket, 
you  must  plane  the  cedar  block  down  to  one-inch 
square,  in  the  manner  indicated  by  the  dotted  lines 
of  the  illustration.  You  then  sight  along  another 
of  the  surfaces  of  the  block,  adjoining  the  surface 
first  marked  as  shown,  and  plane  again  as  may 
be  necessary  to  straighten  up  the  other  two  sides. 
Now  your  hole  is  centered,  and  grasp  will  line  with 
rod,  in  all  positions  of  rotation. 

Withdraw  the  joint  and  you  now  are  ready  to 
shape  up  your  grasp.  Cut  a  pattern  of  cardboard 
or  stiff  paper  to  conform  with  the  diagram,  Fig.  2. 


Fig.   a  —  Wood  grasp 


The  diameters  are  as  follows,  to  which  you  can  gauge 
the  finished  grasp  with  a  pair  of  calipers:  At  B, 
one  inch;  C,  %;  D,  iy32;  E,  Hie;  F,  %.  Distances 
are:  A  —  G,  iol/2  inches;  A  —  B,  i  inch;  B  —  C, 
s/4.  C  —  D,  2;  D  —  E,  2tt;  and  F  —  G,  3%.  Lay 
this  pattern  on  two  opposite  faces  of  the  cedar  block 
and  trace  the  outline  in  pencil.  Place  the  block  in 
the  vise  and  cut  away  the  wood  with  a  chisel,  from 
A  to  F,  down  to  the  penciled  lines.  Then  trace  the 


1 82     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

outline  on  the  two  remaining  surfaces,  and  cut  away 
similarly.  Next  saw  the  part  from  F  to  G  down  to 
a  full  %-inch  square.  You  now  have  the  whole 
thing  in  the  shape  shown  in  Fig.  3. 


Fig.   3  —  Wood  grasp 

Take  your  jack-knife  and  cut  away  the  corners 
equally,  till  the  whole  grasp  is  reduced  from  the 
square  to  an  octagonal  shape  on  cross-section. 

Next  we  seat  the  female  ferrule.  Before  cement- 
ing this,  get  a  winding-taper  or  -check  (A,  Fig.  4)' 
that  fits  nicely  over  the  ferrule  and  up  against  the 
welt;  fit  this  over  the  thin  edge  of  the  wood,  around 
the  mouth  of  the  hole  in  the  grasp,  mortising  it  in 
flush  with  the  wood  by  filing  a  recess  to  receive  it, 
with  the  triangular  saw-file,  and  cement  it  in  posi- 
tion. This  will  guard  against  splitting  of  the  grasp 
as  you  force  the  ferrule  into  it;  but  for  the  first 
attempt,  it  will  be  safer  to  seat  the  ferrule  in  the 
cedar  while  in  block  form  before  starting  to  shape 
the  grasp.  You  now  can  melt  some  cement,  spread 
it  evenly  over  the  whole  outside  of  the  ferrule  up 
to  the  welt,  as  you  hold  it  over  the  flame  with  a  pair 
of  pliers,  taking  pains  the  while  not  to  get  any  on  the 
inside;  then  thrust  it  into  its  hole,  and  by  pushing 
down  hard  against  the  floor  or  the  solid  door-jamb, 


HANDGRASP  AND  REELSEAT  183 

using  your  whole  weight,  quickly  force  it  home  to  the 
welt. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  hole  posi- 
tively accommodate  the  ferrule,  though  snugly,  mak- 
ing use  of  a  round  (rat-tail)  file  to  enlarge  the  bor- 
ing if  necessary  to  this  end.  The  ferrule  expands  a 
bit  on  heating,  and  if  the  hole  be  too  small  the  fer- 
rule will  stick  before  reaching  the  whole  distance 
down  into  the  grasp.  Meanwhile  the  cement  has 
cooled  and  thickened,  and  the  only  way  that  you 
now  can  remove  the  ferrule  without  injury  is  to  split 
off  the  wood,  making  it  necessary  to  begin  all  over 
again.  Be  encouraged  however  in  your  persever- 
ance to  have  the  grasp  right,  by  the  knowledge  that 
when  once  completed  one  of  these  independent  han- 
dles can  be  used  for  several  different  rods  for  the 
use  of  one  angler  —  a  nice  insurance  furthermore 
against  the  borrowing  of  your  pet  rods. 

Finally,  round  up  the  whole  with  the  convex  sur- 
face of  a  wood-rasp  or  coarse  file,  followed  by  num- 
ber 2  and  then  number  i  sandpaper;  mount  the 
reel-bands  and  fit  the  butt-cap.  The  sliding  reel- 
band  should  have  a  milled  raised  edge  to  grip  with 
the  fingers.  The  German-silver  butt-cap  and  reel- 
bands  selected  by  the  author  are  %  inch  in  diameter, 
and  were  obtained  from  the  T.  H.  Chubb  Rod  Co., 
of  Post  Mills,  Vermont,  at  a  total  cost  of  forty-six 
cents.  Before  cementing  on  the  cap  D,  (Fig.  4), 
and  in  order  to  seat  the  reel  securely,  file  a  flat  sur- 


184     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

face  on  the  side  of  the  reelseat  that  corresponds  with 
the  line-guides  when  grasp  is  jointed  to  the  butt  in 
the  position,  with  relation  to  rotation,  that  gives 


Fig.   4  —  Wood  grasp 

the  most  perfect  alignment  of  grasp  and  butt-joint. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  glue  a  little  piece  of  leather 
to  this  flat  surface  for  the  reel-plate  to  jam  against 
when  the  reel  is  seated;  a  strip  of  an  old  hat's  sweat- 
band  is  just  the  thing. 

The  completed  grasp  will  appear  as  represented 
in  Fig.  4.  A  indicates  the  taper  hugging  the  ferrule- 
welt,  B  is  a  band  that  largely  is  ornamental  and  may 
be  dispensed  with,  C  is  the  reel-band  proper,  and  D 
is  the  butt-cap. 

But  when  it  comes  to  a  real  fighting  implement, 
and  for  continuous,  prolonged  usage,  there  is  noth- 
ing in  the  same  class  with  a  solid-cork  grasp  for 
the  rod  —  not  a  mere  veneer  of  cork;  and  to  make 
one  of  these  you  may  proceed  as  we  now  will  direct. 

If  you  purpose  making  an  independent  grasp,  first 
you  construct  a  short  bamboo-section,  not  tapering 
but  of  the  same  thickness  throughout,  and  of  the 
proper  size,  when  rounded,  to  receive  snugly  the 


HANDGRASP  AND  REELSEAT  185 

handgrasp    ferrule,    which    is    both    cemented    and 
pinned   to    one    end   of   it,    as    shown   in   Fig.    5. 


Fig.  5  —  Independent  cork  grasp 

Bore  a  short  piece  of  cedar  and  shape  its  end  to 
receive  a  metal  taper,  just  as  in  making  the  all- 
cedar  grasp;  then  slip  this  over  the  bamboo-core 
and  up  against  the  ferrule-rim  (welt  or  shoulder) 
and  cement  it  fast,  as  seen  in  Fig.  6.  Next  slip 
on  and  secure  with  glue  or  ferrule  cement  suc- 
cessive cork-ring  sections  sufficient  for  the  needed 


Fig.   6  —  Cork   grasp 

length  of  the  actual  hand  portion  of  the  grasp. 
Cement  them  in  place,  several  at  a  time,  and 
allowing  these  to  set  before  putting  on  the  next 
installment.  Jam  the  last  ones  you  are  placing, 
firmly  against  their  predecessors  by  putting  the  bam- 
boo-core between  the  vise  jaws  and  pushing  the  cork 
up  against  the  ends  of  the  jaws;  then  tighten  the 
vise  and  leave  things  awhile.  It  is  a  good  idea  to 
have  the  grain  of  each  disk  of  cork  to  cross  that  of 
its  neighbor. 

These  cork  rings  or  solid  disks  that  you  can  per- 


186     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

forate  as  required,  may  be  had  of  selected  quality 
from  your  tackle-dealer,  or  you  can  utilize  the  best 
of  large  corks  obtained  from  the  paint  or  drug  store, 
such  as  are  used  for  gallon  cans  or  for  the  wide- 
mouthed  vaseline  bottles.  To  perforate  these,  you 
file  a  cutting  edge  on  the  end  of  a  brass  ferrule  or 
other  piece  of  metal  tubing  of  suitable  size;  you 
either  may  fit  this  with  a  handle,  or  secure  it  in  the 
vise  by  means  of  your  wooden  holder  (see  chapter 


"REEL-SEAT      ["~.~ 

i 

• 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

~ 

. 

- 

- 

f/, 
w 

Fig.    7  —  Cork  grasp 

on  "  Ferrules  ")   and  bore  the  hole  by  turning  the 
cork  backward  and  forward  against  its  sharp  end. 

Finally,  make  a  cedar  reelseat  of  similar  style  to 
that  described  above,  but  with  a  hole,  an  inch  or 
more  in  depth,  bored  into  its  front  end  for  fitting 
that  over  the  other  end  of  the  bamboo-core  and  up 
against  the  hindermost  cork-ring,  where  it  is  glued 
into  place  and  reinforced  by  insertion  of  a  piece  of 
the  pointed  end  of  a  small  brass  escutcheon-pin. 
Your  cork-ringed  fly-rod  handgrasp  now  will  be  in 
the  state  indicated  by  Fig.  7.  It  remains  to  finish 
up  the  reelseat,  including  the  mounting  of  reel-bands 
and  butt-cap,  as  already  detailed,  and  to  work  the 
cork  part  or  grasp  proper  down  to  shape  as  shown 
by  the  dotted  lines  of  the  above  illustration.  A  file 


HANDGRASP  AND  REELSEAT  187 

cannot  well  be  used  here  —  it  would  tear  the  cork 

—  and  the  result  is  accomplished,  after  shaving  to 
approximate  shape  with  a  sharp  thin  knife-  or  razor- 
blade,  with  sandpaper  wrapped  about  a  round  stick 
of  about  five-eighths  inch  in  diameter.     This  is  man- 
ipulated with  an  oblique  sliding  and  turning  motion 

—  slide  it  away  from  you  as  you  turn  toward  you. 
Finish  by  twisting  the  grasp  within  a  fold  of  fine 
sandpaper  held  snugly  in  the  left  palm. 

The  process  employed  is  somewhat  different  for 


•V. 

Fig.  8  —  Cedar  grasp  for  bait-casting  rod 

the  bait-casting  rod.  Here  the  grasp  is  not  remov- 
able, and  because  of  the  increased  strain  on  the 
handle  of  this  rod,  the  butt-joint  should  extend  down 
inside  the  grasp  to  within  two  inches  at  most  of 
the  butt-cap,  this  part  of  the  joint  first  being  filed 
down  to  a  uniform  size.  In  this  rod  the  reelseat 
is  placed  above  the  grasp.  A  pattern  for  the  handle 
of  cedar  is  shown  in  Fig.  8,  one  piece  of  wood  extend- 
ing from  A  to  I.  G  —  I  represents  a  German-silver 
reelseat,  slid  over  and  cemented  to  its  cedar-core. 
This  reelseat  has  a  simple  but  effective  locking  reel- 
band  (H)  and  it  was  obtained  from  James  Heddon's 
Sons,  of  Dowagiac,  Mich.,  for  one  dollar.  The 


1 88      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

ridge  at  E  projects  between  the  first  and  second 
fingers  of  the  rod-hand,  insuring  a  secure  grip  and 
obviating  the  necessity  for  the  somewhat  ungainly 
forefinger  "  trigger  "  (hook)  with  which  many  bait- 
casting  rods  are  equipped,  as  indicated  by  the  dotted 
lines  at  F.  A  is  the  butt-cap;  B,  the  end  of  the 


Fig.  9  —  Cork  grasp  for  bait-casting  rod,  with  mushroom  butt,  and 
finger-hook  or  trigger  attached  to   reel-band 

butt-joint.     Measurements  are:  A  —  G,  5%  inches; 
G  —  J,  4%  inches;  C,  i%  inches;  D,  2%2  inch. 

We  rather  favor  a  solid-cork  grasp  for  this  rod, 
and  like  one  with  a  cedar  butt-cap  of  a  mushroom 
shape  (Fig.  9).  A  shaped  cork-grasp  for  a  bait- 
casting  rod  —  and  any  other  individual  parts  of 
their  standard  models  —  may  be  purchased  from 
the  Dowagiac  people;  and  not  only  the  individual 
cork-rings  or  solid  disks,  already  mentioned,  but 
cork-grip  handgrasps,  in  a  more  or  less  finished  state 
and  in  a  variety  of  patterns,  are  obtainable  from 
most  of  the  larger  tackle-houses. 


ROD-MAKING: 
VARNISHING  AND  FINISHING 


CHAPTER  X 

ROD-MAKING:  VARNISHING  AND 
FINISHING 

The  prime  requisites  of  a  good  rod-varnish  are 
that  it  should  possess  a  maximum  degree  of  elasticity 
and  form  an  efficient  protecting  coat  against  the  pene- 
tration of  moisture  into  the  pores  of  the  bamboo. 
A  varnish  that  dries  too  hard  chips  easily  and  soon 
will  crack  under  the  repeated  flexion  of  the  rod.  A 
"  special  "  rod-varnish  need  not  be  sought,  as  the 
specifications  are  met  in  any  of  the  best  brands  of 
spar  varnish,  put  up  by  a  number  of  the  bigger  var- 
nish houses,  such  as  Berry,  Crockett,  or  Murphy. 
The  author  has  more  recently  used  Valentine's  "  Val- 
spar." 

Varnishing  should  be  done  in  dry  weather,  pref- 
erably on  a  clear,  snappy  day,  or  on  a  warm  day 
with  little  humidity.  If  this  is  not  sufficiently  ex- 
plicit, have  your  wife  or  sweetheart  pick  out  for 
you  what  she  says  is  a  good  wash-day.  And  you 
should  varnish  indoor,  in  a  warm  room  with  air  as 
free  as  possible  from  floating  dust  particles.  A 
small  camel's-hair  or  ox-hair  brush,  of  the  kind  that 
we  used  for  gluing  (the  same  brush  will  do,  if  it 

191 


i92     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

was  thoroughly  cleaned),  suits  our  present  purpose 
likewise. 

As  already  has  been  mentioned,  the  writer  applies 
the  first,  diamond  windings  and  the  initial  coat  of 
varnish  soon  after  the  rod-joints  are  glued  up  and 
dry.  No  attempt  then  is  made  to  flow  it  on,  but 
care  is  taken  to  have  it  worked  thoroughly  into  and 
around  all  of  the  silk-windings,  using  short  strokes 
of  the  brush  in  all  directions.  For  this  coat,  the 
varnish  may  advantageously  be  thinned  with  turpen- 
tine —  but  not  adding  more  than  twenty  per-cent  — 
for  better  penetration  of  the  silk;  and  likewise  for 
the  second  application,  which  includes  only  the  solid- 
wrappings  about  the  guides  and  ferrule-ends,  etc. 
When  at  this  take  care  not  to  gum  up  the  exposed 
metal  parts.  Dilute  the  varnish  but  little,  if  at  all, 
for  the  subsequent  coats.  To  insure  a  good  flow, 
have  it  warm  while  in  use,  by  standing  its  container 
in  hot  water. 

A  satisfactory  way  of  keeping  varnish  for  future 
use,  after  the  original  can  has  been  opened,  is  to 
transfer  it  to  a  wide-mouthed  bottle,  which  must 
be  kept  tightly  corked;  to  be  on  the  safe  side  against 
evaporation  and  thickening,  cover  the  exposed  part 
of  the  cork  with  melted  paraffine. 

Spar  varnish  being  an  elastic  varnish,  dries  neither 
as  hard  nor  as  soon  as  does  coach  or  cabinet  var- 
nish; some  kinds  of  the  latter  may  be  rubbed  within 
a  few  hours  following  a  fresh  application  on  a  good 


VARNISHING  AND  FINISHING  193 

drying  day;  but  spar  varnish  should  be  given  a  day 
or  two  between  coats  before  any  attempt  is  made 
at  rubbing-down.  Varnished  work  will  dry  quickest 
out-of-door,  in  clear,  dry  weather  and  a  brisk  wind; 
but  in  order  to  escape  the  dust  as  much  as  possible, 
your  rod-joints  must  be  hung  up  inside  for  at  least 
the  first  four  or  five  hours,  until  dried  dust  proof; 
and  hang  them  well  away  from  the  wall,  else  the 
varnish  may  "  creej}." 

It  is  the  practise  of  the  author  to  apply  five  or  six 
coats  of  varnish,  in  all,  after  the  following  manner: 
First,  two  thin  applications,  as  explained  above, 
given  with  circular  or  oblique  strokes  around  the 
joint;  two  additional  coats  covering  all,  flowed  on 
carefully  and  evenly  by  brushing  in  long,  quick 
strokes  lengthwise  of  the  joint.  We  then  have  the 
silk  sufficiently  protected  to  permit  of  rubbing  the 
varnish  down  without  injury  to  the  windings.  This 
we  now  proceed  to  do,  lightly  and  cautiously  this 
first  time  and  with  increasing  vigor  after  each  of 
the  succeeding  two  or  three  coats. 

Some  would  object  to  so  many  coats  of  varnish 
on  the  ground  of  their  being  deleterious  to  the  action 
of  the  rod.  We  think  that  such  criticism  is  alto- 
gether theoretical,  and  that  a  much  more  practical 
point  is  that  moisture  penetrating  the  rod-wrappings 
and  the  pores  of  the  bamboo  is  the  great  foe  to  the 
life  of  the  rod  and  to  the  maintenance  of  its  elastic- 
ity, and  that  a  generous  coating  of  the  right  kind 


194     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

of  varnish  furnishes  the  surest  protection  against 
this. 

To  rub  down,  use  powdered  rotten-stone  —  from 
drug  or  paint  store  —  on  a  small  square  of  canvas, 
or  felt  from  an  old  soft  hat,  wet  with  cold  water; 
this  makes  a  fine  brown  mud  with  which  you  scrub 
the  joints  lengthwise  between  the  thumb  and  fingers 
of  one  hand,  while  the  other  twirls  the  joint  to  and 
fro.  When  the  rubbing  is  completed,  rinse  the  joint 
thoroughly  with  cold  water  squeezed  out  of  a  small 
fine  sponge.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  let  the  water  run 
with  force,  directly  from  the  tap,  on  the  parts  about 
the  guides.  Complete  the  cleaning  by  wiping  with 
the  sponge  just  damp.  Then  wipe  with  a  dry  soft 
cloth  and  swish  the  joint  a  few  times  in  the  air  com- 
pletely to  dry  it.  Have  it  perfectly  dry  before  ap- 
plying any  more  varnish,  and  be  sure  that  the  rotten- 
stone  is  thoroughly  cleaned  with  a  bit  of  rag  from 
under  and  around  the  guides.  Powdered  pummice- 
stone  and  water  may  be  used  for  rubbing  the  var- 
nish coats  that  follow  the  first  use  of  the  rotten- 
stone;  but  at  the  first  attempt  at  finishing  a  rod, 
perhaps  you  had  best  confine  yourself  to  the  rotten- 
stone. 

In  finishing  the  cedar  handgrasp  or  any  cedar 
parts,  follow  the  filing  and  coarse  sandpapering  by 
using  number  I  paper,  then  number  o,  rotating  the 
grasp  forcibly  between  a  fold  of  the  paper  held 
tightly  in  the  palm  of  the  left  hand.  After  a  good 


VARNISHING  AND  FINISHING  195 

smooth  surface  is  obtained,  apply  water  with  a 
sponge,  to  raise  the  grain  of  the  wood;  when  dry, 
make  a  second  application  of  fine  sandpaper  and 
elbow-grease;  give  now  two  coats  of  varnish;  rub 
down  with  pummice-stone  and  water;  apply  a  third 
coat  of  varnish;  rub  with  the  wet  rotten-stone  or 
with  linseed  oil  and  rotten-stone;  give  a  fourth  and 
last  coat  of  varnish,  very  lightly. 

For  the  last  finishing-touches  both  on  joints  and 
handgrasp,  rub  with  a  bunch  of  curled  horsehair 
(see  the  upholsterer),  then  with  a  little  "  Three-in- 
One  "  oil  applied  with  a  soft  rag,  then  with  a  buck- 
skin glove  or  piece  of  chamois-skin  or  felt,  then  with 
an  old  silk-handkerchief;  and  in  conclusion,  apply 
as  much  hand-friction  with  the  heel  of  your  palm 
as  your  inclination  and  perseverance  will  allow. 
The  ultimate  result  is  that  you  have  produced  on  all 
a  smooth  but  not  glassy  finish,  that  is  not  dulled  by 
handling  the  rod  —  whose  subdued  luster  is  very 
durable.  The  whole  rod  now  requires  but  an  occa- 
sional rubbing  with  the  silk-handkerchief  and  a  few 
drops  of  oil,  and  the  application  of  a  single  light 
coat  of  varnish  about  every  second  season  if  used 
regularly. 

At  last,  my  Brother  of  the  Angle,  your  rods  are 
completed  in  every  fascinating  detail  —  and  if  they 
do  not  appear  as  the  illustrations  depict,  and  are  not 
a  delight  to  your  eye  and  a  joy  to  your  hand,  it  is 


I96     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

not  because  the  writer  has  failed  to  tell  you,  so  far 
as  mind  can  recall,  every  blamed  thing  that  he  knows 
about  this  business.  Suspend  them  from  the  tip, 
safe  from  the  kiddies'  curious  investigations,  feast 
your  eyes  soulfully  upon  their  charms,  and,  upon 
occasion,  you  even  may  take  them  down  and  fondle 
them  lovingly;  then,  when  the  first  feathered  har- 
bingers of  the  coming  Spring  begin  their  blithesome 
twitterings  —  and  not  till  then  —  haste  you  now  to 
rig  them  up  and  experience  that  exquisite  thrill  of 
their  feel  in  action,  as  you  test  them  out  on  the  near- 
est piece  of  greensward,  if  a  suitable  stretch  of  water 
be  not  conveniently  accessible.  And  you  now  may 
say,  "  as  one  having  authority,"  if  you  think  that  an 
honestly  hand  made  Split-Bamboo  is  worth  its  price; 
and  if  you  agree  with  me  that  the  building  thereof 
is  a  poem,  the  perusing  of  which  is  a  thing  well  cal- 
culated to  assist  in  passing  profitably  many  an  hour 
in  delightfully  novel  and  restful  diversion,  oblivious 
to  carking  cares. 


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CULTIVATING  SILKWORM-GUT 
AT  HOME 

BY  EDWIN  T.  WHIFFEN 

(By  kind  permission  of  the  author 
and  of  Forest  and  Stream) 


CHAPTER  XI 

CULTIVATING  SILKWORM-GUT 
AT  HOME 

BY  EDWIN  T.  WHIFFEN 

After  a  little  experience  every  angler  with  the  fly 
who  is  in  the  habit  of  studying  the  problems  that 
constantly  confront  him  recognizes  the  importance 
of  concealing  the  connection  between  the  line  and 
the  lure.  Such  a  connection  is  established  by  means 
of  the  leader,  consisting  usually  of  silkworm-gut  im- 
ported from  Spain.  Now  the  desirable  qualities  in 
a  leader  are  strength,  fineness,  and  unobtrusiveness. 
This  last  essential  depends  upon  color,  absence  of 
luster,  and  of  any  small  peculiarities  which  sepve  to 
call  attention  to  any  particular  part  of  the  leader. 
In  its  ordinary  state,  the  Spanish  gut  offends  against 
all  three  just-mentioned  qualities;  its  color  is  ob- 
trusive, it  possesses  a  shine  that  makes  it  a  target 
for  every  eye,  and  the  frequent  knots  mean  just  so 
many  points  to  distract  the  fish's  attention  from  the 
object  of  the  angler's  special  interest  —  the  artifi- 
cial fly.  The  shine  may  be  removed  by  one  of  the 
processes  known  as  "  drawing,"  that  is,  taking  off 

199 


200     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

the  outer  layer  of  the  gut  by  means  of  sandpaper; 
but  this  unduly  weakens  the  product.  The  leader 
may  be  artificially  colored,  and  this  also  is  usually 
a  weakening  process.  The  knots,  like  the  poor,  we 
have  with  us  always. 

As  a  result  of  the  study  of  these  conditions,  I  be- 
came convinced  years  ago  that  a  substitute  for  the 
Spanish-gut  leader  was  a  matter  of  desire  for  the 
angler. 

As  the  Spanish  "  gut "  is  the  product  of  the  silk- 
sacs  of  the  Asiatic  silkworm,  the  idea  naturally  pre- 
sented itself  of  endeavoring  to  substitute  a  larger 
caterpillar,  and  one  with  larger  silk-sacs,  for  the 
insect  from  which  the  Spanish  gut  is  derived.  This 
substitute  was  sought  for  in  the  various  American 
bombycid  (family  bombyeuLf)  or  silkworm  larvae. 
Of  all  our  American  varieties,  the  caterpillar  spin- 
ning the  largest  cocoon  is  that  of  the  cecropia  moth 
(Platysamia  cecropia}.  The  general  color  of  this 
moth  is  a  rusty  red  or  brown;  this  is  the  color  of  the 
head  and  foreparts.  It  has  a  distinctive  white  col- 
lar; the  abdomen  is  reddish,  and  has  bands  of  black 
and  white;  the  wings  are  grayish  with  bands  of  red 
and  white  extending  across  them.  A  characteristic 
is  the  transparent  membrane  or  eye-spot  which  is 
found  on  the  fore  wing;  a  whitish  crescent  or  kidney- 
shaped  spot  marks  the  rear  wings;  and  the  whole 
wing  has  a  clayish-brown  edge.  The  antennae  or 
"  horns  "  are  broad  and  feathery,  those  of  the  male 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT 


201 


being  much  more  so  than  those  of  the  female  and 
thus  furnishing  an  easy  means  of  distinguishing  the 
sexes. 

The  full-grown  cecropia  caterpillar  averages  from 
three  to  four  inches  in  length  but  when  very  large 
may  measure  nearly  five  inches,  is  moderately  stout, 


Cecropia  caterpillar 

and  of  an  apple-green  color.  On  the  various  seg- 
ments of  the  body  are  tubercles  or  shot-like  append- 
ages mounted  on  the  ends  of  little  stalks.  On  the 
second,  third,  and  fourth  segments  these  tubercles 
are  of  a  coral  color;  on  other  segments  they  may  be 
blue  or  black.  The  head  is  green  with  black  mark- 
ings. These  features  characterize  the  full-grown 
worm. 

Next  in  size  as  a  spinner  of  cocoons  is  the  Tele^ 
polyphemus.  The  polyphemus  moths  are  nearly  as 
large  as  those  of  cecropia,  and  they  vary  in  color 


202     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


somewhat  more  than  the  latter  moth.  The  general 
impression  is  a  reddish  or  yellow,  furry  brown,  with 
black  scales  peppering  the  wings,  on  which  are  cross- 
bands  of  red  or  pink,  white,  and  gray.  On  each 
wing  is  the  typical  eye-spot,  and  a  transparency  sur- 


Polyphemus  caterpillar 

rounded  first  by  a  lightish  brown  circle,  and  by  a 
black  ring  outside  of  this.  Like  the  cecropia,  the 
sexes  are  distinguished  by  the  difference  in  breadth 
of  the  antennae.  The  color  of  the  bodies  is  a  dark 
or  light  tan,  and  the  forepart  has  a  gray  band.  The 
cocoon  is  ovoid  in  shape,  when  first  spun  looking  as 
if  dusted  over  with  lime;  later  the  color  is  brown. 
The  caterpillar  spins  on  practically  the  same  kinds 
of  bushes  or  trees  as  the  cecropia.  In  the  spinning 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        203 

process,  the  worm  does  not  break  the  thread  to  form 
a  means  of  egress  at  the  front  of  the  cocoon,  as  the 
cecropia  does;  hence  the  long  thread  may  be  reeled 
off,  and  might  furnish  a  valuable  fiber.  The  film 
when  thus  unwound  from  the  cocoon  has  a  beautiful 
silver  tint,  and  is  surprisingly  strong  for  its  size. 

The  caterpillar  reaches  an  extreme  length  of  three 
inches  or  little  more,  and  it  is  plumper  for  its  length 
than  the  cecropia.  The  general  color  is  blue-green 
on  the  back  and  yellow-green  on  the  sides.  Yellow 
tubercles  are  found  on  the  back  and  sides,  arranged 
in  lines. 

A  caterpillar  much  resembling  polyphemus  is  luna 
(Actias  luna) .  The  line  on  the  anal  plate  is  yellow, 
instead  of  brown,  and  the  worm  is  of  a  different 
shade  of  green;  and  thus  may  be  readily  distin- 
guished. It  spins  a  thinner  cocoon,  and  probably 
has  little  value  as  a  gut-producer. 

Among  the  smallest  of  this  class  of  the  moths  is 
the  Callosamia  promethea,  whose  method  of  attach- 
ing its  cocoon  distinguishes  this  phase  of  its  exist- 
ence from  the  preceding  varieties.  A  handle,  like 
an  umbrella's,  securely  holds  the  cocoon  to  the  twig 
or  leaf-stem.  This  is  a  pretty  little  moth,  but  the 
results  of  my  experiments  with  it  go  to  show  that  as 
a  producer  of  gut  it  is  a  failure,  the  strand  being 
small,  short,  and  weak. 

An  imported  variety,  from  China,  is  the  cynthia 
or  ailanthus  silkworm.  Its  cocoon  and  method  of 


204     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

attachment  resembles  those  of  promethea.  It  pro- 
duces a  slightly  longer  and  larger  length  of  gut. 

As  a  fact,  none  of  the  American  silkworms  are 
worth  bothering  with  as  gut-producers  in  comparison 
with  cecropia;  although  I  have  secured  fairly  good, 
stout  strands  of  gut,  four  or  five  feet  long,  from 
polyphemus.  But  my  experience  has  been  that  a 
small  cecropia  caterpillar  produces  as  much  gut,  and 
of  a  better  quality,  than  a  large  polyphemus;  while 
a  big  cecropia  is  unapproachable  in  this  respect,  yield- 
ing a  strand  of  gut  from  six  to  nine  feet  long,  round, 
smooth,  of  a  suitable  color,  lusterless,  and  knotless. 
Polyphemus  is  not  worth  raising  if  cecropia  can  be 
obtained. 

By  hunting,  available  material  for  the  cultivation 
of  these  worms  may  be  obtained  in  the  shape  of 
moths,  cocoons,  eggs,  and  caterpillars,  the  cocoon 
state  being  on  the  whole  the  most  satisfactory.  In 
length,  the  cecropia  cocoons  vary  from  somewhat 
over  an  inch  (very  small)  to  three  inches  (very 
large).  Some  are  slender  and  compactly  spun, 
others  are  loosely  spun  and  baggy.  They  vary  in 
color,  when  fresh,  being  brownish,  and  when  weath- 
ered, somewhat  silvery.  They  are  more  pointed 
at  one  end  than  at  the  other.  Careful  examination 
of  this  pointed  end  shows  that  the  threads  were 
broken  and  then  puckered  together  in  the  process 
of  spinning.  The  cocoon  usually  is  attached  to  the 
side  of  the  twig,  branch,  tree-trunk,  or  stalk  on  which 


Polyphemus  moth 
— one-quarter 
life  size 


Promethea — 
half-grown  worm, 
adult,  and 
new  cocoon, 
on  one  bush 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        205 

the  caterpillar  has  chosen  to  spin.  The  caterpillar 
may  elect  to  spin  on  its  food-plant,  or  it  may  wander 
away  and  spin  on  almost  any  suitable  stalk  or  twig. 
Its  cocoon  has  been  found  on  maple,  willow,  wood- 
bine, oak,  plum,  elder,  wild  cherry,  spicewood,  apple, 
pear,  nettle,  wild  hemlock,  sumach,  ailanthus,  and 
other  varieties  "  too  numerous  to  mention." 

It  is  worth  while  to  look  almost  anywhere  in  a 
locality  in  which  cocoons  are  being  found.  Usually 
there  is  more  or  less  of  a  little  colony  discoverable 
where  a  single  cocoon  has  been  discovered.  You 
may  pick  a  cocoon  plastered  to  the  trunk  of  a  tree 
at  its  very  root,  or  attached  to  a  shoot  but  a  few 
inches  from  the  ground;  then  as  you  glance  up  you 
notice  the  brown,  baggy  bunch  thirty  feet  in  the  air, 
spun  alongside  the  tip  of  the  twig.  No  place  is  too 
unusual  or  insignificant  to  be  overlooked,  though  one 
soon  develops  a  special  sense  in  searching. 

Your  equipment  for  cocoon-hunting  need  not  be 
elaborate.  There  are  some  things  that  are  helpful, 
if  not  really  necessary.  You  can  put  in  your  pocket 
the  cocoons  that  you  find,  if  you  wish,  though  there 
is  danger  of  crushing  them;  a  bag  or  a  box  of  some 
kind  is  better.  If  you  are  abroad  in  the  Spring, 
when  the  moth  is  laying  its  eggs,  some  little  paper  or 
tin  boxes  will  make  good  receptacles  for  your 
"  finds."  In  the  same  season  you  will  need  larger 
boxes  in  which  to  put  any  moths  you  may  capture, 
and  a  net  will  be  necessary  for  taking  the  specimens. 


206     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

In  Summer  or  early  Fall,  the  caterpillar  season,  some 
boxes  large  enough  to  hold  your  captures  without 
crushing  them  will  be  advisable.  As  for  clothing, 
wear  the  oldest  and  toughest  you  have.  It  is  not 
especially  conducive  to  the  beauty  of  head-,  foot-,  or 
body-gear  to  go  crushing  through  bushes,  briars,  and 
shrubs,  over  bogs  and  swamps,  or  to  crowd  up  trees 
and  into  other  places  difficult  of  access  in  which 
some  caterpillars  seem  to  have  taken  a  fiendish  de- 
light to  spin.  An  umbrella  with  a  crook  for  a  handle 
is  helpful  in  pulling  down  branches  or  twigs  just  out 
of  one's  unaided  reach,  where  frequently  fat  cocoons 
are  attached.  A  fish-line  with  a  weight  on  the  end 
is  serviceable  for  bringing  down  those  branches  a 
little  too  high  for  the  umbrella.  If  you  are  work- 
ing among  trees  of  any  size,  a  long  pole  with  a 
triangle-hook  attached  will  enable  you  to  reach 
cocoons  spun  by  worms  of  the  most  aspiring  spirit. 
The  most  valuable  item  in  your  equipment  you  will 
not  be  able  to  take  with  you  at  first  —  a  general  abil- 
ity to  distinguish  good  territory  from  bad  and  to 
"  smell  out  "  every  specimen  in  the  locality. 

Let  us  suppose  it  is  Fall  or  early  Winter,  and  you 
are  hunting  cecropia  and  polyphemus.  You  should 
follow  along  the  road  or  street  studying  carefully 
the  trees  and  shrubbery.  Luckily  enough  for  the 
hunter,  cocoons  as  a  rule  are  not  found  in  high,  dense 
vegetation  or  inside  of  groves  or  woods.  Circle 
around  the  outside  of  such  places,  studying  carefully 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        207 

every  tree  and  shrub,  low  or  high.  Examine  any 
tuft  of  leaves  or  protuberance  on  twig  or  trunk. 
Pass  over  nothing  that  at  all  suggests  what  you  are 
in  search  of.  Sometimes  it  is  a  good  plan  to  study 
a  clump  of  bushes  or  a  tree  from  one  direction  and 
then  slowly  circle  it  so  that  the  light  will  be  thrown 
on  the  leaves  and  limbs  from  various  angles. 

If  you  are  in  the  street,  you  may  collect  a  small 
crowd  anxious  to  see  "  what  the  gink  is  rubberin' 
at,"  but  a  true  explorer  never  pays  any  attention  to 
little  things  like  that.  A  vacant  city  lot  which  has 
many  or  few  bushes,  stumps  with  sprouts  springing 
from  them,  little,  weazened  trees  that  almost  apolo- 
gize for  living,  sometimes  yield  surprising  finds.  A 
lane  in  the  suburbs  with  trees  and  bushes  on  either 
side  furnishes  good  hunting-ground.  If  there  is  a 
wall  on  either  side  with  a  vine  of  some  sort  grow- 
ing upon  it,  you  may  find  that  careful  search  will 
reveal  brown,  baggy  bunches  that  prove  to  be  cecro- 
pia  cocoons.  Patches  of  scrub  white-birch  or  spice- 
bush  should  always  be  carefully  examined,  as  such 
places  often  harbor  many  cocoons. 

Cocoons  may  be  hunted  for  at  any  time  after  the 
spinning  season  until  the  warm  Springtime  weather 
causes  the  moths  to  emerge  from  the  cocoons.  As 
soon  as  possible  after  the  falling  of  the  leaf  is  the 
best  time,  as  certain  birds  tear  apart  the  cocoons 
and  eat  the  tender  pupae  within.  Places  in  the  cities 
and  suburban  towns  are  usually  more  productive  of 


208     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

results  to  the  cocoon-hunter,  not  necessarily  because 
there  are  more  cocoons,  but  because  the  cocoons  are 
more  in  view  and  closer  together  on  account  of  there 
being  fewer  trees  and  shrubs  to  attract  the  female 
moth  as  it  lays  its  eggs.  Almost  the  best  place  of 
all  is  a  field  with  numerous  scattered  clumps  of  wil- 
low, maple,  spice-bush,  or  alder;  these  usually  are 
small  and  accessible.  The  adult  moth,  on  its  egg- 
laying  mission,  seems  to  find  dense  vegetation  a 
hindrance  and  hence  avoids  it. 

The  caterpillars  probably  do  not  stay  many  feet 
from  the  spot  where  they  hatched  from  the  egg; 
indeed,  the  worm  may  pass  all  stages  of  its  life- 
history  and  spin  its  cocoon  on  a  single  shrub.  Some- 
times such  unpromising  spots  as  backyards  are  well 
worthy  of  search.  The  egg-laying  function  of  the 
moth  is  compulsive  and  the  eggs  must  be  laid  wher- 
ever the  parent  may  chance  to  be  at  the  proper  time 
of  depositing  them.  It  has  from  two  hundred  to 
six  or  eight  hundred  eggs  to  dispose  of  in  a  compara- 
tively short  time,  and  cannot  afford  to  be  too  nice 
as  to  the  character  of  the  place  where  it  deposits 
them. 

The  American  silkworm  caterpillars  have  various 
parasitical  enemies,  particularly  varieties  of  the 
ichneumon-flies.  The  adult  parasite  lays  its  eggs 
on  the  body  of  the  caterpillar;  there  hatch  out  and 
the  tiny  worms  proceed  to  eat  their  way  into  the  body 
of  their  host,  which  soon  may  die.  Or  the  cater- 


Cecropia 
cocoons  ot 
different  size 
and  shape 


J 


Cecropia 
cocoon 
showing 
the  details 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        209 

pillar  may  live  long  enough  to  perform  its  functions 
of  spinning  but  then  dries  up  and  dies.  Or  the 
parasite  may  construct  a  peculiar  kind  of  cocoon 
within  the  larger  one  spun  by  the  host;  such  speci- 
mens are  interesting  to  the  scientist  but  valueless  to 
the  one  who  wishes  to  rear  caterpillars  from  the 
egg.  As  a  rule,  specimens  which  have  not  pupated 
are  easily  distinguishable  from  good  ones.  The  silk 
of  such  cocoons  is  thinner,  and  when  the  cocoon  is 
shaken  close  to  the  ear  a  peculiar  dry  rattle  is  heard; 
a  good  specimen  when  similarly  treated  gives  a 
characteristic,  unmistakably  solid  thud.  Those  spec- 
imens in  which  parasites  have  pupated  are  not  thus 
distinguishable;  only  by  opening  the  cocoon  and 
examining  the  contents  can  the  counterfeit  be  de- 
tected. It  is  not  well  to  disturb  the  pupa  in  this 
way;  it  is  better  to  watch  carefully  for  the  emer- 
gence of  the  wasp-like  ichneumonides,  which  should 
be  destroyed  when  they  are  perceived. 

While  the  idea  of  collecting  the  cocoons  and  of 
getting  a  supply  of  eggs  from  the  moths  is  unmis- 
takably the  best  plan,  do  not  be  in  despair  if  your 
cocoon-hunt  is  unsuccessful.  You  may  be  able  to 
capture  one  or  more  fertile  females  in  the  Spring, 
which  will  supply  you  eggs  from  which  enough  cater- 
pillars will  hatch  to  keep  you  sufficiently  busy.  For 
this  variety  of  "  bug-hunting  "  you  will  need  a  net 
of  some  light  mosquito-mesh,  with  tin  or  paper  boxes 
in  which  to  stow  away  your  captures. 


210     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

The  American  silkworm  moths  generally  fly  by 
night,  and  the  electric  light  is  hence  a  blessed  insti- 
tution to  the  moth-hunter.  These  creatures,  some 
of  them  as  large  as  a  small  bat,  or,  perhaps  a  better 
comparison,  as  broad  as  your  hand,  and  of  the  most 
entrancing  beauty  in  shape,  color,  and  silken  flight, 
will  throw  even  the  beginner  into  raptures  at  their 
sight.  Some  alight  gracefully  and  stand  slowly  furl- 
ing and  unfurling  their  wings,  as  if  pardonably  proud 
of  their  beauty.  Some  float  like  a  many-hued 
shadow  to  and  fro.  In  either  case  a  skillful  turn 
of  the  net  effects  a  capture.  A  morning  search  is 
sometimes  profitable.  The  moths  are  occasionally 
found  hanging  to  the  roofs  or  beams  of  sheds;  the 
undersides  of  bridges,  if  near  lights,  are  likely  places. 
Sometimes  you  will  see  the  moths  bobbing  against 
the  window-screen  from  the  outside,  where  they 
may  be  taken.  The  cecropia,  especially  the  female, 
throws  off  a  peculiar  "  animal  odor,"  by  which  it 
may  be  tracked  to  its  hiding-place  in  the  daytime. 
This  odor  is  exceedingly  strong,  almost  offensively 
so,  and  is  carried  by  the  wind  to  a  considerable  dis- 
tance; it  aids  the  male  to  find  the  female,  at  the  mat- 
ing season.  Once  smelled  you  will  never  forget  it. 

At  this  time  of  the  year,  egg-hunting  may  yield 
fair  results.  Suitable  places  evidently  are  about  the 
same  as  for  the  cocoons.  You  should  carry  along 
tin  boxes  with  covers,  in  which  to  place  the  leaves 
upon  which  the  eggs  are  found;  remove  the  leaf 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        211 

entire,  to  avoid  injuring  the  eggs  in  any  way;  exam- 
ine both  sides  of  all  the  leaves  of  shrubs  in  a  prom- 
ising locality. 

Cecropia  eggs  are  of  an  ovoid  shape.  On  the 
upper  side  is  a  reddish  spot,  and  they  are  about  as 
large  as  quite  small  bird  shot.  The  polyphemus  lays 
white,  brown-banded  eggs  which  are  larger  than 
those  of  cecropia.  Both  species  deposit  eggs  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  sometimes  singly,  sometimes  in  a 
short  row,  or  in  peculiar  little  masses. 

Last,  and  least  satisfactory  of  all,  is  the  method 
of  attempting  to  find  the  caterpillars.  They  hide 
away  so  cunningly  as  to  be  nearly  undiscoverable, 
even  when  the  signs  of  their  presence  are  unmis- 
takable. Such  signs  are  wholly-  or  partly-eaten 
leaves  and  the  presence  of  excrement  on  the  ground 
beneath.  Just  previous  to  the  actual  spinning,  the 
worm  may  crawl  along  in  an  excited  fashion,  as 
though  anxious  to  reach  a  certain  spot  on  schedule 
time;  it  may  then  be  found  almost  anywhere,  run- 
ning up  or  down  a  tree  trunk,  or  along  the  road,  or 
across  a  walk.  Such  specimens  do  not  ordinarily 
give  a  satisfactory  strand  of  gut,  as  the  chances  are 
against  their  having  eaten  of  the  kind  of  leaf  that 
results  in  the  best  variety  of  that  product. 

In  case  you  have  secured  a  reasonable  number  of 
cocoons,  twenty  or  so,  it  is  best  to  put  them  away 
in  a  cold  place  during  the  Winter.  A  good  plan  is 
to  place  them  in  a  small  screen-cage  and  expose  them 


212     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

to  the  weather  outside;  the  moisture  and  the  cold  of 
Winter  will  not  work  any  injury  but  will  keep  the 
cocoons  and  their  contents  from  becoming  too  dry. 
If  they  are  not  thus  exposed,  it  is  well  to  turn  them 
occasionally  and  sprinkle  them  lightly  with  water. 

When  the  weather  becomes  warm  in  Springtime 
and  the  leaf-buds  begin  to  appear,  bring  your  cocoons 
into  a  warm  room,  when  the  moths  soon  will  begin 
to  emerge.  If  so  situated  as  to  be  able  to  have  a 
-oom  for  rearing  purposes,  the  moths  may  be  allowed 
to  fly  around  free  from  confinement.  If  a  male  and 
a  female  of  the  same  species  emerge  at  about  the 
same  time,  they  usually  will  mate  without  any  diffi- 
culty. After  the  completion  of  this  function  the 
male  soon  dies,  and  the  female  immediately  begins 
to  deposit  eggs.  It  lays  several  hundred  in  the 
course  of  a  few  nights,  and  then  dies  too,  neither 
sex  living  more  than  a  week  or  ten  days.  In  case 
a  female  or  females  alone  should  emerge  from  the 
cocoon  stage,  a  mate  must  be  secured  if  the  eggs  are 
to  be  fertile.  This  is  done  by  exposing  the  female 
out  of  doors,  either  in  a  screen-box  with  large  inter- 
stices or  else  by  securing  her  by  tying  a  length  of 
woolen  yarn  about  her  "  waist,"  the  other  end  of 
this  tether  being  made  fast  to  prevent  her  escape. 
The  former  method  is  preferable,  as  bats  and  birds 
are  fond  of  a  tender  moth.  If  you  place  the  captive 
moth  outside  the  window,  be  sure  that  it  is  on  the 
side  of  the  house  opposite  to  the  direction  in  which 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        213 

the  wind  is  blowing,  so  that  the  scent  may  be  carried 
farthest  and  be  most  likely  to  attract  a  mate.  If 
your  attempt  is  successful,  the  evidence  usually  will 
be  found  in  the  presence  of  the  male  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

The  fertile  female  moth  should  be  placed  in  a 
pasteboard  box  with  a  cover,  such  as  a  shoe  box, 
where  it  will  "  get  busy  "  and  plaster  every  avail- 
able place  with  eggs,  at  the  same  time  battering  its 
beautiful  wings  pitifully.  As  soon  as  all  the  eggs 
of  a  moth  have  been  deposited,  on  the  sides,  bottom, 
and  cover  of  the  box,  with  a  sharp  knife  remove 
them  on  a  little  bit  of  the  paper,  being  very  care- 
ful not  to  crack  the  hard,  shiny  shells,  as  they  will 
thus  be  spoiled.  Put  the  eggs,  thus  removed,  into 
tight  tin-boxes  or  glass  jars  (Mason  jars),  and  put 
the  covers  on  tightly  unless  you  wish  to  find  wander- 
ing baby  caterpillars,  looking  for  "  something  good," 
scattering  over  the  neighborhood.  At  all  times,  but 
especially  when  they  are  small,  should  tight  recep- 
tacles for  your  worms  be  supplied,  as  they  will  go 
through  a  pin-hole,  with  several  feet  to  spare  in 
every  direction,  for  they  are  great  roamers. 

The  hatching  period  may  be  as  short  as  seven  days, 
but  usually  is  ten  days,  or  even  more  if  the  weather 
is  cool.  Shortly  before  hatching,  the  eggs  become 
quite  dark  in  color;  then  the  little  "  darkies  "  eat  a 
hole  and  crawl  out,  soon  looking  too  large  ever  to 
have  been  able  to  get  into  so  small  a  compass. 


214     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

Their  appearance  should  have  been  carefully 
watched  for,  and  food  leaves  have  been  supplied  as 
soon  as  the  little,  black  worms  were  seen.  The 
freshly-hatched  cecropia  caterpillar  is  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  inch  long,  black,  and  with  little  black 
bristle-like  tubercles.  Occasionally  I  have  had 
freaks  in  a  brood,  such  specimens  being  a  deep  yellow 
in  color.  Any  kind  of  leaf  which  the  young  cater- 
pillar will  take  is  suitable  food  for  the  first  three 
stages  of  its  existence;  one  year,  when  I  had  a  brood 
hatch  early  in  April,  I  fed  them  on  the  leaf  of  some 
perennial  shrub  which  supplied  the  only  u  garden 
sass  "  then  available.  I  have  seen  it  stated  that  the 
young  Asiatic  silkworm  may  be  fed  on  lettuce  for  a 
few  days,  till  better  food  may  be  obtained,  but  my 
experience  with  the  young  American  silkworm  is  just 
the  contrary;  broods  coming  out  before  the  leaves 
opened  have  "  turned  up  their  noses  "  at  tender  let- 
tuce and  stolidly  succumbed  to  starvation. 

Apple,  pear,  currant,  peach,  plum,  berry  of  all 
kinds,  bay,  hard  and  soft  maple,  mountain  laurel, 
apricot,  may  be  fed  to  them,  some  broods  preferring 
one  kind,  some  another.  They  eat  voraciously,  with 
a  peculiar  movement;  supporting  themselves  by  the 
false  legs  or  props  on  the  latter  half  of  the  body, 
and  grasping  the  edge  of  the  leaf  with  the  sharp- 
pointed  true  legs,  they  raise  the  head  and  set  the 
mandibles  into  the  edge  of  the  leaf,  then  bring  the 
head  slowly  down,  at  the  same  time  cutting  the  leaf 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        215 

away  with  their  rapidly-moving  jaws  —  somewhat  as 
the  barber's  instrument  "  dehaired  "  our  locks  just 
before  the  summer  vacation,  "  to  keep  the  boys 
cool."  After  a  full  meal  the  caterpillar  rests  awhile, 
digests  its  dinner,  and  then  goes  at  it  again.  No 
wonder  they  grow  like  pigs ! 

In  a  few  days  the  caterpillar's  size  has  so  increased 
that  its  skin  is  too  small  and  must  be  exchanged  for 
a  larger  one;  in  fact,  the  larger  one  already  is  devel- 
oping. The  caterpillar  then  "  moults  " ;  it  refuses 
all  food  and  ceases  to  move  about,  remaining  still  as 
if  dead.  If  lightly  touched,  it  jerks  from  side  to  side 
to  testify  its  displeasure  at  being  disturbed.  It 
should  be  treated  with  great  care  as  it  is  very  easily 
injured  at  this  time.  Do  not  touch  it  with  the  hands 
at  all  if  you  can  possibly  help  it;  lift  it,  if  necessary, 
by  the  leaf  or  twig  to  which  it  clings.  Indeed,  at 
all  times  handle  your  worm  like  Izaak  Walton's 
frog,  "  as  though  you  loved  him;  "  the  tender  skin 
is  easily  torn,  then  infection  may  set  in  and  death 
follow. 

After  a  period  of  two  or  three  days  thus  spent, 
the  caterpillar  is  ready  to  moult.  The  mask-like 
headpiece  may  be  seen  hanging  down  in  front  of  the 
face;  and  the  colors  of  the  caterpillar  are  dingy  and 
dirty.  Then  the  worm  begins  to  wriggle;  the  old 
skin  splits  near  the  head,  and  the  caterpillar,  bright 
and  fresh  as  though  newly  enameled,  crawls  out  — 
like  an  emblem  of  the  resurrection.  Sometimes  the 


216     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

"  mask  "  attached  to  the  head  is  not  shed  with  the 
rest  of  the  skin  and  must  be  carefully  removed. 
After  the  first  moult  the  caterpillar  regains  its 
original  color. 

At  all  times  be  careful  to  have  the  receptacles  for 
your  worms  scrupulously  clean;  every  day  remove 
the  wilted  leaves  and  dead  caterpillars  and  thor- 
oughly clean  their  quarters  with  a  stiff  brush,  taking 
out  every  particle  of  dirt.  Do  not  pull  the  cater- 
pillars from  the  old  leaf;  put  the  fresh  leaves  into 
the  cage  and  the  worms  will  leave  the  old  for  the 
new,  and  the  old  ones  may  then  be  removed.  A  few 
fine  drops  of  water  should  be  sprinkled  on  the  leaves 
every  day,  which  the  caterpillars  search  out  and 
slowly  drink  them;  but  do  not  put  in  enough  water 
to  saturate  the  air  in  the  receptacle.  As  for  the 
receptacles  or  cages  themselves,  small  tin-boxes  will 
do  well  enough  at  first,  but  glass  jars  are  better  as 
their  rounding  bottoms  are  more  easily  kept  clean. 
Give  your  specimens  plenty  of  room,  putting  only 
a  few  into  one  cage  unless  it  is  very  large.  While 
the  caterpillar  has  no  objection  to  eating  in  the  dark 
and  under  any  circumstances  can  "  get  its  hand 
to  its  mouth,"  I  prefer  a  transparent  cage,  as  then 
I  can  more  readily  keep  track  of  the  progress  of  the 
inmates.  These  cages  may  be  nearly  air-tight  as 
worms  respire  very  little. 

Dry,  roomy  quarters  are  essential  to  prevent  the 
development  and  spread  of  certain  fungoid  diseases. 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        217 

If  conditions  are  not  right  the  caterpillar  loses  its 
appetite;  its  plump,  firm  appearance  is  changed  to 
a  thin  and  watery  one;  its  skin  cracks,  and  a  whitish 
mold  appears  which  soon  kills  the  diseased  worm. 
Dead  or  sickly  specimens  should  be  removed  at 
once;  and  the  cage  should  be  thoroughly  scalded 
and  dried  to  kill  any  remaining  germs.  A  little  pre- 
caution, taken  every  day,  will  prevent  such  disastrous 
happenings  and  assure  the  successful  maturing  of 
the  brood. 

While  I  have  been  writing,  the  caterpillars  have 
been  feeding  and  growing;  in  a  week  or  so  they  have 
developed  sufficiently  to  be  ready  for  the  second 
moult.  The  process  of  resting,  cessation  from  feed- 
ing, and  shedding  of  skin  is  repeated;  after  this 
moult  the  color  is  distinctively  yellow,  and  the  larger 
tubercles  are  apparent.  The  worms  should  now 
be  thinned  out,  some  in  each  cage  being  transferred 
to  another.  Always  be  sure  that  the  new  receptacle 
is  clean.  Remember,  the  conditions  of  success  are 
two:  perfect  cleanliness,  and  sufficient  food  of  a 
proper  kind;  under  these  conditions  the  caterpillars 
thrive  like  young  chicks.  After  a  somewhat  longer 
period  of  feeding  —  and  they  will  keep  you  busy 
gathering  leaves  —  they  moult  for  the  third  time. 
At  this  stage  their  heads  are  green  with  black  mark- 
ings; the  bodies  have  become  yellow  and  have  two 
rows  of  black  dots  running  from  "  stem  to  stern  ". 
The  large  black,  red,  and  yellow  tubercles  might 


2i8     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

cause  them  to  be  thought  in  the  final  stage ;  but  they 
now  crave  more  food  than  before  and  fairly  cram 
themselves  with  the  leaves  supplied  to  them.  At 
this  stage  you  should  begin  feeding  the  leaf  suited 
to  insure  the  very  best  quality  of  gut.  I  have  found 
this  to  be,  first,  fleshy,  juicy  leaves  from  the  plum 
tree,  and  a  close  second,  the  prickly  leaves  of  the 
long  blackberry,  which  the  caterpillars  munch  down 
with  much  gusto.  You  ought  to  have  left,  in  spite 
of  accident,  disease,  and  death,  at  least  half  or  two- 
thirds  of  your  hatching,  or  some  two  hundred  or  so 
healthy  and  flourishing  crawlers.  Listen  as  they 
eat,  after  you  have  put  in  fresh  leaves  for  them  in 
the  morning;  the  sound  will  remind  you  of  a  gentle 
fall  of  rain  in  Summer. 

If  they  ate  before,  they  cram,  gorge,  distend,  stuff 
themselves  now.  In  a  week  or  ten  days  they  should 
be  ready  for  the  final  moult,  from  which  they  emerge 
hungrier  than  ever.  Their  color  is  much  as  before, 
but  the  size  of  the  head  seems  enormous.  In  a  week 
or  ten  days  more  they  have  grown  to  be  four  or  five 
inches  long  and  are  very  plump  and  sleek;  then  they 
cease  feeding  and  prepare  for  the  important  process 
of  spinning.  First  they  empty  the  digestive  system 
entirely,  excreting  a  thick,  syrupy  fluid.  Up  to  this 
time  the  excrement  had  been  fairly  firm,  and  this 
marked  change  in  its  consistency  is  an  indication  that 
spinning  may  be  expected  soon. 

During  the  last  stage  it  is  a  good  plan  to  put  the 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        219 

worms  out  of  doors  to  feed,  selecting  the  most  suit- 
bale  food-plant  for  them,  as  I  have  thought  that  the 
gut  produced  by  this  treatment  was  of  superior  qual- 
ity. Whether  that  idea  is  fancy  or  fact  may  be  de- 
batable; but  this  I  do  know,  that  it  is  much  easier 
for  the  one  who  has  the  job  of  looking  after  it  to 
bring  the  worm  to  its  fodder  than  to  bring  its  fodder 
to  the  worm.  They  may  grow  somewhat  larger  in 
this  way,  as  there  is  never  any  lack  of  food;  and 
especially  at  this  stage  they  eat  so  fast  that  they  need 
feeding  two  or  three  times  a  day,  instead  of  only 
once  as  during  the  previous  moults.  Now,  and  espe- 
cially when  I  had  large  numbers,  I  have  sometimes 
used  small  branches  with  their  leaves  placed  in  Ma- 
son jars  containing  water;  although  I  found  a  ten- 
dency on  the  part  of  the  caterpillars  to  crawl  down 
after  a  drink  and  so  drown  themselves.  My  usual 
method  of  feeding  has  been  to  put  the  loose  leaves 
(cut  or  torn  on  the  edges  when  the  caterpiller  is 
small)  right  into  the  cage,  and  to  change  food  at 
least  once  a  day.  Some  labor  can  be  saved  by  using 
this  plan  of  putting  the  twigs  with  leaves  into  bottles 
or  jars  containing  water;  but  to  prevent  the  untimely 
loss  of  some  of  your  "  star  boarders,"  wind  wool 
or  tie  cotton  around  the  twig  just  above  where  it 
enters  the  neck  of  the  bottle  or  jar,  so  that  all  sui- 
cidal actions  may  be  frustrated.  Once  I  matured  a 
brood  of  cecropias  by  means  of  the  "  branch-and- 
bottle  "  method,  on  the  top  of  a  square  piano;  the 


220     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

jars  tipped  over  sometimes  and  the  water  ran  down 
into  the  "  inwards  "  of  the  instrument,  but  it  was 
only  the  piano  that  suffered  —  the  worms  thrived. 
When,  then,  you  find  the  soft,  fluid  excrement  in 
the  cage  you  may  know  that  one  or  more  of  the  cater- 
pillars soon  will  begin  to  spin.  The  worm  shortens 
somewhat,  as  the  body-cavity  contains  little  except 
the  empty  digestive  system  and  the  sacs  with  the 
fluid  silk.  These  are  two,  long,  transparent  tube- 
like  organs,  each  about  eighteen  inches  long,  of 
about  the  diameter  of  a  steel  knitting-needle,  and 
curiously  coiled  and  involved  in  the  cavity  of  the 


»ll.R     SAC  SPI 

Section  of  Asiatic  silkworm  (enlarged)   showing  silk-sac  an3  spinnerets 

body.  At  their  front  ends  they  connect  with  small 
tubes  or  spinnerets  through  which  the  caterpillar 
forces  the  fluid  silk  in  shaping  the  material  with 
which  it  spins.  The  spinning  process  is  a  most  in- 
teresting one.  When  it  is  imminent  the  caterpillar 
crawls  restlessly  around,  seeking  a  suitable  place,  and 
a  short  film  of  silk  may  be  seen  hanging  down  from 
its  mouth.  If  you  want  to  keep  some  cocoons  over 
Winter  for  the  next  season,  put  the  prospective  spin- 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT         221 

ner  by  himself  into  a  glass  receptacle  with  a  few 
leaves,  and  watch  proceedings. 

After  satisfying  itself  that  it  has  selected  a  suit- 
able place,  the  caterpillar  firmly  grasps  a  twig  with 
the  false  legs  or  props,  and  with  the  true  legs  on  the 
forward  part  of  the  body  pulls  the  ends  or  sides  of 
leaves  together.  Then  the  head  moves  up  and 
down,  back  and  forth,  a  film  of  sticky  silk  meanwhile 
gripping  the  leaves  and  holding  them  together. 
The  worm  works  industriously,  and  soon  the  gen- 
eral outline  and  size  of  the  cocoon  appear,  half- 
hidden  in  the  leaves.  In  a  few  hours  the  caterpillar 
has  spun  sufficiently  to  hide  itself  from  sight.  If 
you  wait  a  week  or  so  and  then  carefully  open  the 
end  of  the  cocoon,  you  will  see  an  interesting  sight; 
in  place  of  the  caterpillar,  which  was  the  last  living 
thing  observed  in  the  cocoon  at  the  beginning  of  the 
spinning  process,  a  brownish  pupa  is  seen,  being  a 
sort  of  case  containing  the  embryonic  organs  of  the 
future  moth.  Most  of  the  cocoon,  inside  of  the 
closely-woven  exterior,  will  be  a  mass  of  fluffy  silk- 
filaments  surrounding  a  hard  inner  case,  apparently 
lined  with  some  compact,  gum-like  substance  and 
containing  besides  the  pupa  the  cast-off  skin,  now 
shriveled,  brown,  and  crowded  out  of  the  way  into 
the  back  of  the  cocoon. 

Of  course  you  will  want  to  draw  the  gut  from  most 
of  the  worms  which  you  have  raised.  The  first  im- 
portant matter  is  to  know  the  right  time  for  the 


222     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

operation.  After  a  little  experience  you  will  be  able 
to  tell  by  the  film  hanging  from  the  caterpillar's 
mouth  that  the  worm  is  what  is  technically  known  as 
"  ripe;  "  but  until  that  proficiency  is  developed  you 
will  more  safely  wait  until  the  spinning  has  actually 
begun.  Then  prepare  the  solution  in  which  to 
pickle  the  ripe  worms.  The  proportions  are :  a  suf- 
ficient quantity  of  vinegar  (depending  upon  the  num- 
ber of  worms  ready)  into  which  put  enough  salt  to 
make  a  saturate  solution,  diluted  with  the  same  quan- 
tity of  water.  The  salt  should  be  put  in  the  vinegar 
and  thoroughly  stirred  until  all  the  salt  possible  has 
been  dissolved.  Pour  off  the  vinegar,  leaving  the 
undissolved  salt,  and  then  add  the  equal  quantity  of 
water.  I  have  thought  that  vinegar  in  which  the 
"  mother  "  had  formed  was  best  for  the  purpose. 
You  need  not  prepare  more  than  a  cupful  ordinarily, 
as  the  caterpillars  will  ripen  only  a  few  at  a  time; 
and  many  of  them  may  be  pickled  in  one  solution  be- 
fore it  is  used  up.  The  purpose  of  the  pickling 
process  is  to  toughen  the  silk-sacs  sufficiently  to  per- 
mit of  their  being  pulled  out.  Into  the  solution, 
prepared  as  above,  put  whatever  worms  may  be 
ready  to  spin,  first  tearing  them  across  the  back  at 
about  a  quarter  or  a  third  of  the  distance  from  the 
head;  but  do  not  entirely  remove  or  separate  the 
torn  portion  of  the  worm. 

While  the  pickling  process  is  proceeding  let  me 
say  that  some  have  drawn  gut  without  putting  the 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        223 

worm  into  a  solution  of  any  kind.  I  have  tried  this 
method  on  cecropia  and  polyphemus,  but  with  un- 
satisfactory results.  I  am  not  denying  the  possi- 
bility of  doing  it;  I  merely  am  stating  my  own  ex- 
perience. I  try  a  few  worms  by  this  method  from 
every  brood  that  I  raise,  and  hope  some  day  to  be 
successful.  My  experience  has  been  that  the  un- 
pickled  sacs  are  too  weak  to  permit  of  being  drawn 
out  in  this  way;  however,  I  will  describe  this  method 
in  hopes  that  it  may  be  useful  to  others.  Take  a 
board  from  six  to  nine  feet  long.  Pin  the  worm 
securely  to  one  end,  putting  one  pin  through  the 
"  tail  "  of  the  animal  and  two  more  about  a  third 
of  the  way  back  from  the  head.  With  a  sharp  knife 
cut  off  the  anterior  part  back  nearly  to  the  two  pins. 
Take  a  large  pin  and  dip  it  into  the  silk  and  carefully 
draw  out  as  far  as  the  fluid  silk  will  go,  and  fasten 
each  strand  with  a  pin;  a  cecropia  caterpillar  has  two 
silk-sacs  and  yields  two  strands  of  gut.  Let  the  gut 
thus  drawn  out  dry  in  the  shade  for  several  days. 
I  have  read  that  a  method  like  this  has  been  suc- 
cessfully tried  in  France;  but  I  must  confess  that  I 
do  not  enjoy  the  experience  —  neither  does  the 
worm.  Very  likely  the  caterpillar  could  be  killed 
or  stupefied  by  some  means  before  the  pinning  was 
done. 

The  method  which  I  employ  has  at  least  the  merit 
of  being  more  merciful.  After  the  worm  has 
pickled  for  about  half  an  hour  I  examine  and  draw 


224     THEN  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

/ 

out  one  end  of  a  sac;  and  if  it  is  strong  and  firm  I 
continue  the  drawing  process.  If  there  is  a  sug- 
gestion of  weakness  I  continue  the  pickling  process 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  longer.  I  am  convinced 
by  experience  that  the  precise  moment  for  pulling 
out  the  sacs  is  a  highly  important  consideration.  If 
the  pickling  has  been  too  short,  the  gut,  while  ap- 
parently strong  and  of  good  quality,  seems  to  be 
lacking  in  the  proper  consistency;  on  the  other  hand, 
if  the  pickling  is  carried  too  far,  the  resulting  strand 
is  lumpy,  and  the  lumpy  parts  while  looking  strong 
are  really  the  weakest. 

I  do  not  feel  that  I  can  describe  the  exact  point 
for  drawing  at  which  results  are  likely  to  be  the  best, 
though  I  could  easily  show  to  another  the  silk-sac 
when  it  had  the  proper  consistency  to  assure  them. 
But  I  will  attempt  a  description,  as  even  a  poor  one 
may  be  of  some  help  though  experience  and  observa- 
tion are  the  best  instructors.  At  its  best  condition 
for  securing  results,  the  sac  on  being  removed  from 
the  body  of  the  worm  has  a  peculiar  whitish  appear- 
ance, not  soft  or  mushy  and  yet  not  hard  like  a  string 
of  glue.  The  strand  when  pulled  out  suggests  in 
appearance  a  tendon  or  "  cord,"  such  as  is  found  in 
meat  before  cooking  it  —  it  has  a  peculiar,  "  glairy  " 
look.  This  color  becomes  somewhat  opalescent  on 
drying  and  later  may  turn  even  dark  brown. 

Having  satisfied  yourself  that  the  sac  is  properly 
pickled,  work  quickly,  since  there  are,  as  stated,  two 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        225 

strands  to  every  worm  and  the  pickling  process  must 
not  unduly  be  prolonged.  On  the  shady  side  of  the 
veranda  or  of  the  house  stick  a  pin  into  the  clap- 
boards and  tie  to  it  securely  one  end  of  the  sac. 
Then  take  the  other  end  of  the  sac  in  the  fingers  or 
tie  it  to  another  pin  and  draw  the  gut  out  to  its  full 
length.  If  any  parts  of  the  sac  are  not  fully  drawn 
out  these  will  be  lumpy  and  weak  when  the  gut  is  dry. 
Fasten  the  end  of  the  sac  just  drawn  out  and  allow 
it  to  dry  for  several  days.  While  the  gut  must  be 
stretched  far  enough  to  keep  it  from  being  lumpy,  a 
little  allowance  must  be  made  for  contraction  in  the 
drying  process;  so  ease  up  an  inch  or  two  before 
both  ends  of  the  gut  are  made  fast.  I  have  had 
very  good  success  when  the  gut  was  drawn  on  a 
rainy  day  and  the  strands  became  moist  and  slack; 
in  such  circumstances  I  have  thought  that  the  gut  was 
peculiarly  strong.  But  at  all  events  keep  it  out  of 
the  sun,  and  if  it  contracts  so  much  as  to  pull  out  the 
pin  at  either  end,  refasten  with  the  tension  eased 
up  somewhat.  In  a  day  or  two  you  usually  will  find 
that  you  have  a  variety  of  colors;  some  will  turn  a 
dark  golden-brown,  some  may  have  a  bluish  tint, 
others  will  be  light  like  a  washed-out  rootlet  or 
fiber,  and  still  others  will  approximate  in  shade  the 
ordinary  Spanish  gut  but  will  lack  the  "  shine  " 
which  the  latter  unfortunately  possesses. 

Restrain  the  tendency  to  use  the  freshly-drawn 
gut  too  soon ;  although  it  may  be  fine  in  texture  and 


226     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

apparently  strong,  it  should  thoroughly  mature  for 
several  days  or  even  weeks,  for  best  service.  Once 
properly  prepared,  it  will  give  good  use  for  years. 
I  have  in  my  possession  two  leaders  drawn  ten  years 
ago,  yet  they  still  are  reliable. 

I  had  to  learn  by  experience  that  a  careful  matur- 
ing of  the  product  is  essential  to  success.  On  one 
occasion  I  had  drawn  several  hundred  leaders,  but 
they  were  placed  in  a  tin  box  before  they  were  dry 
and  were  stored  in  a  damp  place;  on  examining  them 
several  weeks  later  I  found  about  twenty  of  them 
still  good,  but  the  rest  had  become  ruined  from 
mildew. 

Do  not  expect  that  every  leader  you  draw  out  will 
be  a  good  one.  The  Spanish  gut  sold  in  this  coun- 
try is  but  a  small  part  of  the  total  product,  and  not 
one  strand  in  a  hundred  is  perfect.  So,  much  of 
your  product  will  come  out  flat  and  weak,  like  the 
inferior  strands  of  Spanish  gut,  due  perhaps  to  im- 
proper pickling,  the  wrong  kind  of  feed  for  the 
caterpillar,  or  to  an  unhealthy  worm.  A  consider- 
able number  will  be  of  fair  strength,  testing  to  three 
or  four  pounds,  and  sufficiently  strong  for  brook- 
trout  fishing;  and  occasionally  you  will  get  a  fine  speci- 
men, long,  round,  and  strong  enough  to  hold  a  bass 
on  fly  tackle. 

Naturally  the  strands  will  require  testing  to  se- 
lect the  good  from  the  bad.  Tie  a  loop  in  one  end 
of  the  strand  and  attach  it  to  a  hook  or  nail  in  the 


Cecropia  moth,  which  in  life  may  have  a  five'inch  wing 
spread 

Two  of  Mr.  Whiffen's  one'Strand,  home'grown  Cecropia 
leaders,  six  feet  long 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        227 

wall.  Give  it  a  moderately  strong  pull,  holding  by 
the  other  end.  If  the  strand  breaks  easily  or  near 
the  middle,  it  usually  is  wise  to  discard  it,  although 
it  may  be  fine  in  texture  and  apparently  strong;  yet 
I  have  had  strands  break  near  the  middle  in  this 
way,  which  on  being  fastened  together  by  loops 
made  successful  leaders.  The  thin  end  usually  is 
the  weakest  part  and  may  break  off  a  few  inches  at 
a  time  till  two  feet  or  more  have  been  removed. 
Now  take  those  that  stand  this  preliminary  test 
successfully  and  give  them  a  more  severe  one.  Take 
a  milk  bottle,  for  example,  and  put  enough  water  in 
it  to  make  it  weigh  say  three  pounds;  then  attach 
the  strands  to  be  tested  and  see  if  they  will  raise, 
one  at  a  time,  that  weight.  If  they  do  they  are 
strong  enough  for  trout-fishing  with  light  tackle. 
If  you  desire  to  select  any  leaders  for  bass  fishing, 
some  which  will  show  a  greater  strength,  study  very 
carefully  the  leaders  you  have  just  tested  and  take 
the  largest,  strongest-looking  strands  and  with  your 
milk  bottle  filled  to  five-  or  six-pounds'  weight,  test 
them  again.  A  fair  proportion  of  the  gut  drawn 
from  a  brood  of  cecropia  worms  should  stand  this 
latter  test. 

With  regard  to  those  leaders  that  have  "  come 
through,"  you  will  have  a  product  from  six  to  nine 
feet  long,  of  a  slight  taper,  uniform  in  consistency, 
even  in  color  and  strength,  and  which  in  appearance 
will  surpass  the  Spanish  fine  drawn-gut. 


228     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

In  one  respect  the  inferiority  of  the  American 
product  must  be  admitted;  I  have  not  yet  succeeded 
in  producing  a  strand  of  gut  that  will  test  to  ten  or 
twelve  pounds,  as  I  understand  an  occasional  strand 
of  Spanish  gut  has  done.  Still,  the  extreme  length 
of  the  imported  article  is  eighteen  to  twenty  inches, 
while  the  native  product  is  three  or  four  times  as 
long.  Strands  tied  together  are  not  as  strong  as  the 
single  one,  because  the  knot  is  the  weakest  part  of 
the  leader;  therefore  a  leader  testing  up  to  eight  or 
nine  pounds  is  a  very  strong  one.  It  is  not  improb- 
able that  a  better  variety  of  food,  or  a  different 
pickling  solution,  or  a  careful  breeding  of  worms  to 
secure  desired  qualities,  may  produce  an  article  su- 
perior to  anything  which  I  have  been  able  to  get,  thus 
far.  I  have  gone  about  the  matter  in  an  amateurish 
way  and  have  produced  results  far  exceeding  my 
first  hopes. 

I  consider  the  field  a  promising  one.  A  first-class 
salmon-leader,  for  instance,  is  listed  at  five  dollars, 
and  is  the  product  of  several  Asiatic  silkworms.  A 
cecropia  strand  of  equal  length  and  testing  up  to 
four  or  five  pounds  has  been  produced.  As  already 
noted,  a  cecropia  caterpillar  has  two  silk-sacs  and 
yields  two  strands  of  gut.  It  is  possible,  therefore, 
that  with  really  scientific  study  and  manipulation  one 
cecropia  worm  might  produce  ten-dollars'  worth  of 
gut.  If  one  caterpillar  in  a  hundred  did,  the  oc- 
cupation of  raising  them  would  be  profitable.  The 


HOME-GROWN  SILKWORM-GUT        229 

raw  materials  —  cocoons,  moths,  eggs,  or  caterpil- 
lars—  cost  nothing  to  collect,  and  at  present  very 
little  to  buy.  Surely  some  person  of  more  scientific 
bent  than  myself,  with  persistence  and  research,  will 
work  out  a  product  which  will  be  the  best  of  its  kind. 


LANDING-NETS  AND  OTHER 
EQUIPMENT 


CHAPTER  XII 

LANDING-NETS  AND  OTHER 
EQUIPMENT 

In  Oppian's  Halleutlca,  a  poem  of  the  second 
century  A.  D.,  the  outfit  of  the  perfect  angler  is 
summed  up  in  the  following  couplet: 

The  slender  woven  net,  the  osier  creel, 

The  tapering  reed,  the  line,  and  barbed  steel. 

Brethren,  I  would  invite  your  attention  for  a  few 
minutes  to  the  consideration  of  that  net. 

Ever  had  it  catch  in  the  brush,  stretch  its  rubber 
loop  to  the  limit,  then  let  go  and,  zip !  soak  you  one 
in  the  back?  or  dangle,  whether  at  the  front  or  side, 
where  you  continually  are  getting  tangled  up  in  it, 
or  where  your  flies  become  caught  therein  with  a 
devilish  persistency?  Sure!  Then  you  vowed  that 
henceforth  you  would  proceed  netless  and  beach 
'em,  only  to  encounter  immediately  thereafter  that 
biggest  trout  of  all,  in  a  deep,  dark  pool,  with  beach- 
ing possibilities  "  forty  miles  away  " —  and  you  lost 
him !  Right-o ! 

Any  reader  who,  like  the  writer,  ever  has  lost 
three  landing-nets  in  four-seasons'  trouting,  will  be 
interested  to  learn  that  a  most  serviceable  article  is 

233 


234     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

easily  to  be  achieved  at  practically  the  cost  of  the 
netting  itself  and  of  a  little  time  and  easy  labor,  the 
chief  requisite  for  the  frame  being  a  bit  of  discarded 
common  telegraph-wire.  In  bending  the  wire  to 
shape  an  iron  vise  is  of  assistance,  likewise  pliers, 
and  some  hard  flat  surface,  like  a  piece  of  iron,  to 
hammer  the  wire  against. 

For  a  short-handled  frame,  the  whole  seventeen 
inches  long,  make  the  handle  part  about  five  inches 
long  and  have  the  bow  about  eight  inches  at  the  ex- 
treme width.  Make  it  somewhat  triangular  in  shape 
with  an  almost  straight  front  side.  This  is  a  good 
shape  at  any  time  but  particularly  advantageous  for 
scooping  up  minnows.  To  this  end  also  have  the  net 
fine-meshed;  and  make  the  frame  double  across  the 
front  so  that  one  wire  will  serve  as  a  guard  to  pro- 
tect the  lashing-cord  against  contact  with  bottom 
stones. 

This  net  is  light,  effective,  and  it  slips  easily  into 
the  fishing-coat  left  pocket  through  the  opening  at 
the  front  edge  of  the  garment.  There  it  is  securely 
carried,  entirely  out  of  the  way,  yet  easily  accessi- 
ble when  wanted.  (By  the  way,  we  wonder  if  the 
reader  is  "  wise  "  to  those  sleeveless  fishing  "  coats," 
possessing  all  the  advantages  of  the  old-time  article 
but  ever  so  much  cooler  on  a  hot  day.)  If  this 
net  is  dropped  it  will  sink  to  the  bottom  and  there 
is  some  chance  of  reclaiming  it  in  running  water. 
Or,  for  added  security,  a  cord  about  three  feet  long 


LANDING-NETS  AND  EQUIPMENT      235 


Showing  how  to  put  the  frame  together 

may  be  tied  to  the  handle  and  fastened  at  the  other 
end  to  a  coat  buttonhole. 

Two  pieces  of  wire,  bent  in  the  forms  shown  in 
Fig.  i,  are  bound  together  with  strong  cord  as  il- 
lustrated in  the  photograph,  the  wire  ends  at  the 
winding  points  being  beveled  with  a  file. 

If  a  longer-handled  net  is  desired,  bend  your  two 
pieces  of  wire  as  shown  in  Fig*  2,  bind  together,  and 
fasten  to  them  a  handle  made  from  a  piece  of  old 
broomstick,  so  that  the  whole  is  thirty-four  inches 
long.  The  wire  is  riveted  to  the  handle,  a  copper 
washer  being  next  the  wood  at  either  side  and  also 


236     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

outside  the  wire  under  the  rivet  head.  Make  the 
openings  for  the  rivet  holes  by  bending  the  wire 
around  a  nail  and  then  jamming  it  up  tight  in  an 
iron  vise,  the  jaws  gripping  close  to  the  nail.  Have 
the  part  of  the  handle  that  comes  between  the  wires, 
of  a  triangular,  wedge  shape  —  the  back  represent- 
ing the  base  of  the  triangle  —  so  that  it  will  wedge 
and  hold  firm  when  the  handle  is  extended  with  the 
net  in  use.  A  buttonholed  piece  of  leather  is  at- 
tached by  a  small  brass  screw,  through  a  copper 
washer,  to  the  wooden  handle  just  below  the  position 
of  the  rivet,  by  means  of  which  this  form  of  net  is 
suspended  from  a  button  or  hook  that  fastens  the 
left  breast-pocket  of  your  flannel  shirt  or  is  attached 
in  the  vicinity  of  your  left  coat-lapel.  And  the  three- 
foot  piece  of  safety-cord  may  be  used  here  also. 

To  prevent  the  net  from  dangling  below  the  frame 
when  folded,  fasten  a  loop  of  cord  to  the  bottom  of 
the  net,  and  slip  this  loop  over  the  part  of  the 
handle  which  projects  beyond  the  rivet  joint;  it  will 
be  checked  at  the  leather  hanger,  but  will  release  it- 
self automatically  when  the  handle  is  extended. 

When  either  frame  is  completed,  a  coat  of  green 
paint  may  be  applied. 

Now  that  this  net  problem  is  solved,  let  us  con- 
sider for  a  little  some  other  items  of  the  angler's 
equipment  that  make  for  safety  and  comfort. 

Among  these  is  a  small  rain-cape  or  poncho,  that 
will  at  least  cover  the  shoulders  but  need  not  extend 


The  author's  net 

Cravenetted  (waterproof)  hat  with  cork  half- 
disks  sewed  to  band  for  carrying  flies 


LANDING-NETS  AND  EQUIPMENT      237 


Shoulder  poncho 

much  below  the  bend  of  the  elbows.     Such  a  garment 
is  easily  fashioned. 

Get  two  yards  of  five-  or  six-ounce  close-woven 
khaki  duck,  costing  (when  this  was  written)  about 
thirty  cents  a  yard.  Cut  and  sew  it  together  as  in- 
dicated on  the  accompanying  diagram.  Allow  a  lit- 
tle for  seams,  in  cutting.  The  seam  across  the 
center  should  be  a  lap-seam  composed  of  the  sel- 
vedges. The  edges  at  the  circumference  are  hemmed. 
After  basting  the  halves  together  by  hand,  have  the 
seams  and  edges  finished  on  a  sewing-machine. 
(Possibly  you  are  on  good  enough  terms  with  your 
wife,  or  somebody  else,  to  ask  her.)  The  completed 
cape  is  thirty-six  inches  from  back  to  front,  by  forty- 
four  inches  wide.  It  will  reach  to  just  below  the 
end  of  the  elbow  and  does  not  interfere  with  cast- 
ing. (While  keeping  it  short  in  front  it  might  be 
lengthened  to  below  the  waist  in  the  back,  for  better 
protection  when  stooping  or  bending  over.) 


238     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

The  center  slit  for  the  head  is  twelve  and  one- 
half  inches  long,  and  is  sixteen  and  one-half  inches 
from  the  front  edge  of  the  cape.  It  is  reinforced 
by  an  extra  piece  of  the  goods  three  inches  wide, 
sewed  on  the  inside  (shown  in  illustration).  The 
edges  of  this  piece  and  of  the  cape  at  the  slit  are 
turned  in  and  sewed  together. 

Corresponding  to  this  reinforcing  piece  but 
slightly  larger,  and  sewed  along  but  one  edge  —  and 
half-way  across  at  the  ends  —  is  the  collar,  three  and 
one-half  inches  deep  at  the  center  and  four  inches 
at  the  ends.  It  is  fastened  to  the  outside  of  the  cape 
as  indicated  by  the  dotted  lines. 

When  the  sewing  is  completed,  melt  one-quarter 
pound  of  paraffine  shavings  in  a  tin  vessel  (placed 
in  a  second  vessel  containing  boiling  water)  and 
mix  thoroughly  with  one  pint  of  turpentine.  Allow 
the  whole  to  remain  in  the  hot  water  bath,  while  ap- 
plying it  with  a  clean  paint-brush  to  the  outside  of 
the  cape.  Dry  the  cape  in  the  air.  It  may  show 
streaky,  but  you  can  drive  the  paraffine  into  the 
cloth  fiber  and  distribute  it  evenly  by  pressing  the 
garment  with  a  hot  iron.  A  smaller  proportion  of 
melted  beeswax  sometimes  is  incorporated  with  the 
paraffine  in  such  waterproofing  operations. 

Anyone  with  the  least  experience  in  camping  will 
know  of  what  paramount  importance  it  is  that  you 
clothe  yourself  in  woolen  underwear.  It  need  not 
be  heavier  than  medium-weight,  but  it  should  be  of 


LANDING-NETS  AND  EQUIPMENT       239 

wool.  Even  in  midsummer  it  can  be  very  chilly  in 
the  mountain  altitudes  that  the  angler  haunts,  after 
sundown  especially;  and  it  can  be  chilly  at  any  time 
after  a  ducking  in  the  stream,  in  the  wind,  with  cot- 
ton next  the  skin.  By  the  way,  where  the  water  is 
unusually  treacherous,  don't  hesitate  to  cut  a  piece 
of  sapling  for  a  wading-staff. 

Your  hat  should  be  an  old  felt  one,  with  a  brim 
for  better  protection  from  the  sun  and  rain.  This 
same  paraffine  solution  will  waterproof  that  hat  too, 
but  it  will  need  a  few  ventilating  windows  at  the 
sides;  or  it  may  be  "  cravenetted  "  or  given  a  dose  of 
lanolin.  A  handy  thing  to  go  around  the  hat  is  a 
leather  or  woven  band  to  which  cork  half-disks  are 
sewed  for  sticking  flies  into;  or  the  band  may  have 
riveted  to  it  strips  of  metal  carrying  little  clips. 

When  next  we  shall  have  considered  the  angler's 
footwear,  these  include  about  all  the  essential  articles 
of  clothing  that  pertain  especially  to  the  fisherman; 
though  we  might  add  the  general  suggestion  that 
no  article  of  outer  wear  should  contrast  too  strongly 
with  his  surroundings.  This  would  give  preference 
to  such  subdued  colors  as  gray  and  yellowish-  or 
greenish-browns. 

To  wear  waders,  or  not  to  wear  waders? 
Whether  't  is  best  to  discard  them  and  get  boldly 
wet,  without  any  idea  of  trying  to  keep  dry,  or 
whether  we  shall  encase  ourselves  within  these  air- 
excluding  mackintoshes  and  stew  in  our  own  sweat 


240     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

—  regardless  of  the  fact  that  one  is  almost  certain 
to  go  "  over  the  top  " —  that  is  the  question. 

There  are  three  factors  to  be  considered:  foot- 
hold, dryness,  and  locomotion.  If  waders  —  either 
mackintoshes  or  hip-boots  —  are  used,  you  must 
have  hobnailed  wading-brogans  to  wear  over  the 
feet  of  the  one,  or  leather  sandals  with  hobnailed 
soles  or  some  similar  contrivance  for  the  feet  of 
the  other.  Screw-calks  are  an  advantage  over  hob- 
nails, which  have  a  faculty  of  becoming  loose  and 
dropping  out  when  the  sole  leather  dries  after  long 
soaking.  These  calks  may  be  transposed  as  re- 
quired, those  wearing  down  quickest  being  moved 
to  another  part  of  the  sole  and  replaced  by  some  less 
worn.  In  addition  to  the  woolen  stockings  next  the 
skin,  a  heavier  pair  also  are  worn  between  wader 
and  brogan,  to  ease  the  chafing  of  the  former. 
These  sometimes  are  turned  into  the  tops  of  the 
brogans,  making  a  double  layer  where  the  raw-hide 
lacings  (keep  them  well  greased)  are  drawn  around 
the  ankle  at  the  tops  of  these  shoes;  but  a  better 
scheme,  because  keeping  the  sand  from  getting  be- 
tween stocking  and  wader,  is  to  pull  the  outside 
stockings  up  to  full  length  and  to  secure  the  tops 
around  the  wader  with  a  rubber-band.  You  can 
get  these  rubber-bands  —  and  useful  for  so  many 
other  purposes  —  by  cutting  them  from  played-out 
auto-tire  tubes. 

The  banana-peel  can  assume  no  airs  in  the  presence 


Cutting  across  country 


The  ford  at  high  water 


LANDING-NETS  AND  EQUIPMENT       241 

of  a  rock  covered  with  slimy  moss.  A  dangerous 
fall  in  or  along  the  stream  may  prove  no  light  mat- 
ter for  the  lone  angler,  far  from  camp  or  farmhouse. 
A  simple  emergency  expedient  is  to  wrap  strips  of 
canvas  or  burlap  or  bind  pieces  of  rope  around  the 
feet  of  rubber  boots.  Sand  works  into  the  meshes 
of  the  cloth  and  gives  it  a  good  gripping  surface; 
or  a  pair  of  woolen  socks  may  be  worn  over  the 
boots  —  while  they  last. 

Don't  neglect  to  have  along  with  you  some  kind 
of  a  rubber-patching  outfit.  These  are  sold  by  the 
tackle-man  and  also  by  rubber-goods  people;  the 
familiar  tire-patches  and  cement  will  serve  the  pur- 
pose pretty  well.  Good  waders  cost  money;  we 
wonder  why  a  fellow  couldn't  make  something  that 
would  serve,  of  ten-ounce  duck  —  patterning  after 
an  old  pair  of  boughten  goods  —  having  lap-seams 
and  being  waterproofed  with  the  beeswax,  paraffine, 
and  turpentine  compound  or  something  even  better 
for  the  purpose. 

Waders  are  all  right  —  generally  —  when  ac- 
tually wading,  but  are  cumbersome  to  walk  in;  be- 
sides, walking  subjects  them  to  excessive  wear  and 
tear.  And,  frequently,  as  much  or  more  walking 
along  stream  is  done  as  walking  in  the  water.  On 
the  other  hand,  wading  without  waders  is  chilly  busi- 
ness during  early  Spring  fishing.  The  only  solu- 
tion here  is  to  carry  extra  footwear  in  the  shape  of 
something  light  that  can  be  slipped  into  when  you 


242     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

desert  the  stream  for  a  considerable  hike  over  dry 
land,  the  while  you  hang  the  waders  around  your 
neck.  For  general  hiking,  the  regulation  Munson- 
last  army  shoes  are  the  thing;  and  the  dope  for  them 
is  one,  two,  three  parts  respectively  of  resin,  bees- 
wax, and  mutton-tallow,  melted  together.  Never 
dry  out  wet  leather  shoes  by  exposing  them  to  too 
direct  and  strong  fire-heat;  fill  them  with  hot  sand 
or  pebbles.  Moccasins  or  felt  slippers  are  a  great 
comfort  in  camp. 

Many  veteran  anglers  have  solved  this  wading 
problem,  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  themselves  at 
least.  The  early  Spring  fishing  —  except  perhaps 
for  very  short  snatches,  and  not  too  far  removed 
from  ready  access  to  a  good  warm  fire  indoors  — 
has  long  ceased  to  appeal  to  them  very  strongly;  and 
ordinarily  from  the  middle  of  May  on  they  can  keep 
very  comfy  without  waders.  They  get  right  in,  but 
keep  moving  and  don't  stop  to  rest  at  any  time  when 
there  is  the  slightest  suggestion  of  a  chill.  If  camp- 
ing, be  sure  to  dry  out  thoroughly  or  change  to  warm, 
dry  clothing  before  going  to  bed.  The  best  stimu- 
lant after  exposure  is  hot  tea  or  hot  black  coffee,  and 
warmth.  Alcohol  generally  is  better  applied  out- 
side. 

This  reminds  us  that  the  hot-water  bottle  —  of 
rubber  or  the  canteen  so  used  —  comes  in  mighty 
handy  when  accident  or  sickness  occurs  in  camp. 
You  always  can  prepare  the  water,  and  the  bottle 


LANDING-NETS  AND  EQUIPMENT      243 

filled  with  this  and  slipped  under  the  patient's 
blanket  may  add  much  to  his  safety  and  comfort;  or 
a  hot  stone  wrapped  in  cloth  may  be  utilized  as  a 
substitute.  And  the  device  isn't  so  bad  for  cold 
nights  even  for  the  camper  who  is  perfectly  well. 

And  don't  forget  that  first-aid  kit.  It  should  in- 
clude some  compound  cathartic  pills  or  cascara  laxa- 
tive, two-grain  capsules  of  muriate  of  quinine,  five- 
grain  aspirin  tablets,  "  Sun  "  cholera  tablets,  a  few 
two-inch  gauze  roller-bandages  with  small  cartons 
of  absorbent  cotton  and  sterile  gauze,  tincture  of 
iodine,  some  needles  with  catgut  sutures  in  alcohol 
in  tubes  ready  for  use,  a  couple  of  artery  clamps, 
some  surgeons'  plaster,  and  a  hypodermic  syringe 
with  a  few  strychnine,  cocaine,  and  morphine  tablets 
for  use  with  same.  Before  you  leave  home  have  a 
chat  with  your  family  doctor  and  make  a  memo- 
randum of  what  he  says  about  just  when  and  how 
these  things  are  to  be  used  in  an  emergency.  And 
though  you  probably  will  escape  the  necessity  for 
the  use  of  any  of  them  for  yourself  or  your  im- 
mediate party,  it  is  very  satisfactory  when  you  are 
enabled  to  play  the  "  friend  in  need  "  to  some  mem- 
ber of  another  outfit  or  to  some  honest,  whole-souled 
farmer,  far  from  any  source  of  prompt  medical  re- 
lief. 

A  mosquito-dope  that  is  cleanly,  and  about  as  ef- 
ficacious as  any,  is  a  mixture  of  one  ounce  each  of 
creosote,  oils  of  citronella  and  of  pennyroyal,  with 


244     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

two  ounces  of  olive  or  castor  oil.  The  addition  of 
a  tube  of  carbolated  vaseline  augments  the  wearing 
quality.  For  some  woods  pests  the  incorporation 
also  of  three  ounces  of  pine  tar  increases  efficacy, 
but  makes  it  much  less  pleasant  to  use.  Mix  by 
heating  the  tar  and  olive  or  castor  oil,  then  stir  in  the 
other  ingredients  over  a  low  fire  until  they  are  thor- 
oughly incorporated.  Two  good  and  simple  prep- 
arations are :  two  parts  citronella,  two  parts  spirits 
of  camphor,  and  one  part  oil  of  cedar;  and,  the  other, 
nine  parts  castor  oil,  eight  parts  sweet  oil,  two  parts 
carbolic  acid,  one  part  oil  of  pennyroyal.  A  fly- 
dope  in  much  favor  with  salmon-fishing  guides  of 
the  Gaspe  country  consists  of  equal  parts  of  pine 
tar  and  castor  oil  with  the  addition  of  a  little  bi- 
sulphide of  carbon.  All  these  are  good  sunburn  lo- 
tions also. 

Every  article  you  read  that  tells  about  what  to 
take  with  you  into  the  woods  mentions  the  com- 
pass; but  you  do  not  see  much  note  of  the  pedometer. 
This  inexpensive  little  instrument  will  add  much  to 
the  pleasure  of  your  outing.  It  is  easily  adjusted  to 
your  individual  average  length  of  step,  is  very  reli- 
able —  as  the  writer  has  proven  by  checking  up 
with  his  auto  odometer  —  and  it  is  a  satisfaction  to 
know  distances  definitely,  as  the  length  of  certain 
trails  or  exactly  how  far  you  are  from  the  nearest 
post-office,  farmhouse,  or  some  other  point  of  spe- 
cial interest. 


LANDING-NETS  AND  EQUIPMENT       245 

If  not  already  informed,  you  will  be  glad  to  know 
about  those  government  section-maps,  to  be  had 
from  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  that  note  in 
great  detail  all  the  essential  features  of  about  al- 
most any  section  of  country  that  you  may  be  plan- 
ning to  visit. 

And  don't  overlook  that  flashlight,  with  extra  bat- 
teries. 

"  J.  A.  C",  in  The  American  Angler,  tells  about 
a  friend  who  possessed  "  a  barrel  of  tricks  worth  the 
attention  of  the  angling  fraternity.  I  was  fishing 
the  Concord  River,  Massachusetts,  with  him  not 
long  ago.  It  was  raining;  a  bully  day  for  fishing 
but  a  hard  day  for  smoking,  which  is  the  special  con- 
solation of  a  wet  day  out  of  doors.  He  was  in  the 
bow  of  the  canoe  and  I  was  trying  to  paddle  just 
near  enough  to  make  good  casting  for  both  of  us, 
myself  fishing  at  the  same  time  and  trying  to  keep 
a  pipe  going  too.  Some  job.  Every  once  in  a  while 
I  saw  him  lean  over,  open  his  coat  and  apparently 
scratch  a  match  on  the  lining.  It  looked  sensible  to 
me,  so  I  tried  the  same  trick.  But  it  didn't  work. 
Finally,  I  asked  him  how  he  did  it;  the  matches 
would  n't  light  on  the  inside  of  my  coat.  He  turned 
around,  opened  his  coat  toward  me,  and  then  I  saw 
he  had  sewed  onto  the  lining  a  bit  of  rough  emery- 
cloth,  about  two  inches  wide  by  five  inches  long. 
'  Great  scheme,  Jim,'  he  said." 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP 

Where  the  silvery  gleam  of  the  rushing  stream 
Is  so  brightly  seen  o'er  the  rocks,  dark  green, 
Where  the  white  pink  grows  by  the  wild  red  rose 
And  the  bluebird  sings  till  the  welkin  rings; 

Where  the  red  deer  leaps  and  the  panther  creeps, 
And  the  eagles  scream  over  cliff  and  stream, 
Where  the  lilies  bow  their  heads  of  snow, 
And  the  hemlocks  tall  throw  a  shade  o'er  all; 

Where  the  rolling  surf  laves  the  emerald  turf, 
Where  the  trout  leaps  high  at  the  hovering  fly, 
Where  the  sportive  fawn  crops  the  soft  green  lawn, 
And  the  crows'  shrill  cry  bodes  a  tempest  nigh  — 
There  is  my  home  —  my  wildwood  home. 

Where  no  steps  intrude  in  the  dense  dark  wood, 
Where  no  song  is  heard  but  of  breeze  and  bird; 
Where  the  world's  foul  scum  can  never  come; 
Where  friends  are  so  few  that  all  are  true  — 
There  is  my  home  —  my  wildwood  home. 

—  EDWARD  Z.  C.  JUDSON   ("Ned  Buntline") 
(An  Adirondack  camp  in  ante-bellum  days) 

Angling  leads  naturally  to  camping,  because  of 
the  manifest  advantage  of  being  domiciled  most  con- 
veniently to  the  waters  to  be  fished;  and  though  con- 
scious of  the  plethora  of  printed  advice  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  camp-life  and  equipment,  we  yet  have  the 

249 


250     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

hardihood  to  believe  we  may  be  able  to  "  hand  out  " 
a  few  pointers  that  will  prove  neither  redundant 
nor  altogether  devoid  of  practical  value  to  many  of 
our  readers.  There  are  things  about  this  outdoor 
game  that  it  is  not  possible  to  overemphasize. 

Whenever  you  project  a  camping  trip,  take  it 
for  granted  that  you  are  going  to  camp  in  the  rain. 
To  be  sure,  it  may  not  rain  —  but  then,  again,  it 
does.  If  you  are  prepared  for  it,  you  yet  can  have 
a  satisfactory  trip;  if  you  are  not,  it  is  absolutely 
and  irretrievably  spoiled.  The  first  consideration 
is  to  have  your  tents  actually  —  not  supposedly  — 
waterproof,  especially  their  roofs;  and  if  for  an 
extended  trip,  have  an  additional  roof-piece  or 
"  fly  "  to  spread  a  few  inches  above  the  tent  roof 
proper. 

Of  course  one  does  not  expect  to  go  upon  such 
an  expedition  in  the  middle  of  June,  in  this  latitude, 
and  encounter  two  weeks  of  the  coolest  and  wettest 
weather  that  the  Weather  Bureau  has  turned  loose 
in  over  forty  years  for  a  corresponding  period. 
And  yet  if  one  of  the  chief  features  of  the  trip  was 
to  be  the  testing  of  the  practical  qualifications  of  a 
little  homemade  shelter-tent,  no  one  may  deny  that 
the  weather  served  the  purpose  admirably.— 
Wherefore  the  story  of  the  tent  that  "  made  good." 

The  place  is  the  upper  waters,  in  Sullivan  County, 
N.  Y.,  of  a  little  river  that  for  recommendation  has 
size,  beauty,  and  wildness  in  great  variety,  freedom 


o 


o 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  251 

to  angle  for  miles  without  interference,  and  the  pres- 
ence of  many  trout  in  its  waters,  both  native  and 
brown,  averaging  a  goodly  size,  requiring  skill  to 
attach,  and  never  in  primer  condition  then  during 
this  season,  the  early  Summer  of  1916. 

The  modest  intention  of  the  author,  and  designer 
of  the  aforesaid  tent,  was  to  produce  a  creation  that 
should  embody  all  the  good  points  of  all  the  good 
tents  that  had  preceded  it  —  and  then  some. 
Whether  or  not  he  succeeded  in  this  particular  en- 
deavor, the  tent  proved  a  success  all  right;  with  the 
addition  of  a  butler's  pantry  and  garage  it  almost 
might  pass  for  a  Newport  summer  cottage. 

It  is  seven  feet  square  on  the  ground,  seven  feet  to 
the  peak  at  the  top  of  the  triangular  front  side,  and 
has  an  eighteen-inch  wall  at  the  back.  It  has 
windows  fifteen  by  eighteen  inches,  screened  by 
cheesecloth,  and  provided  with  flaps  outside,  ad- 
justed by  cords;  and  the  door  in  the  front  is  five 
feet  high  above  a  six-inch  sill,  three  feet  wide  at  the 
bottom,  and  fourteen  inches  at  top.  This  opening 
also  is  protected  by  a  cheesecloth  screen-door  which 
draws  to  one  side  and  is  gathered  by  tapes  when  not 
in  use,  and  also  there  is  a  regular  flap-door,  hinged 
at  the  top  and  secured  when  closed  by  large  hooks- 
and-eyes.  (De  Long  "Jumbos."  The  same  like- 
wise fasten  the  sleeping-bag  flaps,  presently  to  be 
noted.) 

The  bottom  and  one  side  of  the  door-space,  to 


252      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

which  the  screen-door  is  not  sewed,  is  made  in  double 
flaps  between  which  the  free  edges  of  the  screen- 
door  are  secured  with  safety-pins  in  closing  it. 
Edges  of  screen-door  are  bound  with  tape.  The 
outer  door  may  be  entirely  closed,  be  stayed  out  in 
front  like  that  of  a  Frazer  canoe-tent,  or  be  closed 
at  either  side  with  the  opposite  side  held  open.  A 
small  piece  of  sapling  is  run  through  a  pocket  at  the 
top  edge  of  the  door-sill  to  prevent  sagging. 

The  material  is  the  best  quality  unbleached  muslin 
—  about  twenty-five  yards  of  it  —  tanned  by  immer- 
sion in  a  hot  decoction  of  ground  white  oak  bark. 
(Another  time  we  believe  we  will  go  in  for  a  green 
color,  with  "  Diamond "  household-dye,  and  will 
use  the  government  airplane  cloth,  beautiful  for 
tents.)  The  muslin  was  passed  through  the  solution 
three  times,  rinsed  each  time,  and  hung  out  to  dry 
(thereby  greatly  arousing  the  curiosity  of  the  neigh- 
bors). This  before  cutting.  The  proportion  for 
the  dye,  as  given  by  Kephart,  was  two  pounds  of  the 
dry  ground-bark  to  three  and  one-half  gallons  of 
water.  After  chipping  the  bark  into  small  pieces 
with  a  hatchet  it  was  ground  in  a  hand  grist-mill. 
When  dry,  the  muslin  was  waterproofed  by  the  alum 
and  lead  method.  This  consists  in  preparing  two  so- 
lutions, one  with  three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  alum 
and  the  other  with  the  same  amount  of  sugar  (ace- 
tate) of  lead,  each  of  which  is  dissolved  in  four  gal- 
lons of  boiling  soft  water.  When  dissolved,  and 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  253 

clear,  pour  first  the  alum  solution  and  then  the  lead 
water  together  into  another  vessel.  Allow  this  to 
stand  for  several  hours  to  deposit  sediment,  then 
pour  off  the  clear  liquid  say  into  the  washtub.  Soak 
and  knead  the  fabric  in  this,  let  it  stand  an  hour  or 
two,  rinse  in  clear  water,  and  hang  out  in  the  air 
to  dry,  without  wringing.  This  makes  not  only  a 
pretty  effective  waterproofing  but  mildew-proofs  the 
cloth,  and  to  no  little  extent  renders  it  spark  proof. 

The  weight  of  the  tent  material  without  the 
ground-cloth  is  a  little  over  five  pounds. 

From  past  experience  the  writer  holds  strong  con- 
victions that  the  stretcher  form  of  bed  is  at  once  the 
most  generally  practical  and  comfortable  for  camp- 
ing, so  he  decided  to  incorporate  stretcher-bed  ac- 
commodations for  two  in  the  ground-cloth,  which  is 
sewed  to  the  bottom  edges  of  the  tent  all  the  way 
around.  (Yes,  madam,  this  will  keep  out  wriggly 
and  crawly  things.)  Also  he  decided  to  provide 
flaps  for  these  beds,  to  hold  the  blankets  in  place. 
Furthermore,  the  tent-bottom,  in  addition  to  thus 
serving  as  combined  ground-cloth,  stretcher-beds, 
and  sleeping-bags,  also  was  to  be  the  waterproof 
cover  for  the  whole  outfit,  when  packed;  and  could 
be  utilized  as  a  packsack  in  which  to  carry  additional 
duffle,  as  a  hatchet  or  small  ax,  folding  reflector- 
baker,  an  army  intrenching-tool  or  a  miniature 
shovel;  and  last  but  not  least,  a  half-dozen  old  news- 
papers. All  this,  and  in  addition  two  single  five- 


254     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

pound  army-blankets,  which  are  laid  out  flat  inside 
the  tent,  on  the  floor  —  for  packing  —  and  folded 
within  it.  Thus  the  tent  can  be  raised  in  a  rain- 
storm without  getting  a  drop  of  wet  on  the  bedding. 


Ground-plan,  of  combined  tent  ground-cloth,  stretcher-beds,  and  sleeping- 
bags:  A  —  Stretcher- pole  pockets;  B  —  Pillow  straps;  C,  E  —  Sleeping- 
bag  flaps;  D  —  Lap-seams 

The  ground-cloth,  complete  as  described,  and 
waterproofed  by  the  paraffine  method,  is  made  of 
regulation  army  ten-ounce  khaki  duck,  three  widths 
of  which  laid  crosswise  of  the  ground-plan,  came  out 
just  right  after  allowing  for  the  lapped  seams. 
About  eleven  yards  were  required. 

In  applying  the  paraffine,  about  a  pound  was  cut 
into  shavings  and  melted  on  the  stove,  removed  and 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  255 

added  to  two-quarts  of  gasolene,  on  the  roof  (more 
incitement  of  neighbors'  curiosity  —  almost  pain- 
ful), the  whole  kept  warm  and  fluid  by  placing  it  in 
a  basin  of  hot  water.  The  ground-cloth  then  was 
spread  out  and  the  paraffine  and  gasolene  mixture 
applied  hot  to  the  bottom  side  with  a  paint-brush. 
It  congealed  in  streaks  as  soon  as  applied.  Then  it 
was  hung  in  the  sun  and  air  (neighbors  forgotten 
by  this  time)  for  three  or  four  hours,  and  finally  was 
ironed  with  a  very  hot  iron,  care  being  taken  not 
to  burn  it,  which  gave  a  uniform,  smooth  result, 
spreading  the  paraffine  evenly  all  over  and  into  the 
fabric. 

Some  prefer  to  mix  the  paraffine  with  turpentine, 
and  yet  again,  a  small  quantity  of  melted  beeswax 
sometimes  is  added.  Also  there  are  ready-prepared 
waterproofing  solutions,  such  as  "  Preserve,"  etc., 
which  you  can  buy  at  the  camp  outfitter's  for  from 
a  dollar  up  per  gallon.  Another  waterproofing 
process  for  cotton  goods,  consists  in  working  pure 
linseed  oil  thoroughly  into  it  with  a  brush.  As  ap- 
plied to  a  tent,  first  set  it  up  with  everything  pulling 
even  and  taut,  and  start  at  the  ridge  or  top  and  work 
toward  the  ground.  The  tent  must  be  left  up,  well 
exposed  to  sun  and  air,  for  two  or  three  weeks  be- 
fore folding  it  for  packing  or  storage. 

In  utilizing  the  stretcher-bed  feature  of  our  tent 
—  though  it  may  be  used  as  an  ordinary  tent,  with- 
out this  —  four  saplings,  about  two  and  one-half 


256     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

inches  at  the  butt  and  about  nine  feet  long,  are  thrust 
through  five-inch-wide  pockets  sewed  on  the  under- 
side of  the  ground-cloth  (for  the  middle  pockets,  the 
others  being  made  by  folding  the  edges  under)  and 
extending  from  the  back  of  the  tent  to  within  about 
a  foot  of  the  front  edge;  a  pocket  along  either  side 
of  the  middle,  about  sixteen  inches  apart.  This  left 
a  center  aisle,  which  by  sewing  in  two  triangular  side 
gores  and  a  rectangular  piece  at  the  back,  gave  a 
trough  or  gutter  between  the  two  beds  when  the  beds 
were  raised  at  the  head  about  ten  inches  above  the 
ground,  at  the  back  of  the  tent.  The  front  ends  of 
the  stretcher-poles  simply  were  embedded  in  the 
ground,  flush  with  the  surface,  and  held  apart  here 
by  stakes  driven  into  the  ground  flush  with  their  top 
sides.  Thus  one  can  stand  or  walk  on  the  canvas 
of  the  center  aisle  with  the  solid  ground  underfoot, 
when  the  rear  ends  of  the  poles  are  elevated. 

In  setting  up,  the  beds  are  stretched  taut  sideways, 
and  the  poles  held  apart  at  the  back,  by  large  nails 
driven  against  their  sides  and  into  a  thicker,  cross- 
pole  resting  upon  stones  and  atop  of  which  the 
stretcher-poles  are  supported.  They  project  about 
two  feet  beyond  the  tent  rear  wall.  This  arrange- 
ment is  shown  in  the  photo  of  the  rear  of  the  tent, 
as  also  are  the  extension-flaps  at  bottom  of  back  and 
sides  of  the  tent  which  prevent  wind  from  blowing 
under  the  beds  when  used  as  stretcher-beds. 

In  any  form  of  bed  off  the  ground,  the  camper 


i —  Inside  of  author's  tent,  showing  stretcherbed  with  flaps  and 

blanket,  pillow,  window,  and  pockets 
2 — Rear  view,  with  stretcher-beds  in  use 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  257 

must  guard  against  cold  from  underneath  —  that's 
where  the  chill  principally  comes  from.  Banking 
up  around  the  sides  with  earth  and  sod,  and  even  a 
thin  layer  of  balsam,  hemlock,  or  pine  fans  placed 
between  the  canvas  of  the  bed  and  the  blanket  will 
materially  help  here. 

Of  course  these  stretcher-beds  are  bound  to  sag 
some,  but  to  insure  comfortable  results  you  hollow 
out  the  ground  under  the  middle  of  each  bed,  a  little 
distance  each  way  from  where  your  hips  come,  and 
for  a  space  about  eighteen  inches  wide  by  three  feet 
long.  The  old  army  intrenching-tool  does  this  work 
handily  and  serves  well  the  purpose  of  camp  shovel, 
in  ditching  tents,  etc. 

A  tent  invariably  should  be  well  ditched,  and  its 
site  should  be  selected  with  special  reference  to 
water  draining  away  from  it  in  the  event  of  heavy 
rains;  also  with  due  regard  to  convenience  of  drink- 
ing water  and  firewood.  And  don't  pitch  your  tent 
directly  under  large  trees,  particularly  dead  ones, 
or  ones  with  dead  limbs  that  might  be  blown  down 
by  the  wind  and  endanger  your  life.  Nearby  trees 
are  all  right,  to  serve  as  a  windbreak  in  the  protec- 
tion of  which  your  camp  is  pitched,  but  the  site 
should  be  well  exposed  to  the  sun  for  a  part  of  the 
day.  The  ditch  generally  should  extend  around 
all  four  sides  of  your  tent,  should  be  nearly  a  foot 
deep,  and  a  leader  ditch  should  connect  with  the  low 
corner.  A  more  effective  ditch-digger  than  the  in- 


258      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

trenching-tool  is  a  folding  or  collapsible  shovel.  It 
is  a  mighty  handy  instrument  about  camp  —  so  is 
a  small  cross-cut  saw. 

Plenty  of  trouble,  perhaps  you  are  thinking,  for 
the  sake  of  comfortable  sleeping.  Well,  son,  when 
your  uncle  is  out  on  a  two-weeks'  camping  trip,  if 
there  is  one  thing  that  he  's  going  to  do  it  is  to  sleep 
comfortably  or  he  will  know  the  reason  why.  It 
is  the  novice  at  the  game  whose  specialty  is  "  rough- 
ing it."  Your  true  woodsman  certainly  has  learned 
to  accommodate  his  wants  to  restricted  means,  but 
he  is  the  last  man  to  submit  himself  needlessly  to 
harmful  exposure  and  privation.  And  say,  speak- 
ing of  trouble,  did  ever  you  attempt  to  make  one  of 
those  all-browse  affairs?  —  make  it  right  and  keep 
it  so?  That  is  work.  And  did  we  sleep  comforta- 
bly in  our  stretcher-beds  ?  —  Did  we  ?  Ask  "  Denny 
the  Axman,"  sixty-three  years  young  and  good  for 
a  twenty-mile  hike  any  day  —  he  '11  answer. 

In  using  this  tent  for  only  a  night  or  two,  the 
stretcher-bed  feature  need  not  be  utilized;  the  tent 
being  set  up  with  the  bottom  flat  and  laid  over 
leaves,  browse,  or  grass.  In  this  way  it  easily  will 
sleep  three  adults.  Used  for  two,  luxuriating  in 
the  stretcher-beds,  there  is  the  aisle  affording  room 
for  a  small  boy  or  for  storage  of  considerable  duffle, 
and  also  a  space  at  the  foot  of  each  bed,  as  the  beds 
are  six  inches  less  than  the  full  length  of  the  tent. 
"  Next  time  "  we  shall  increase  this  fore-and-aft 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  259 

length  of  the  tent  perhaps  a  foot,  to  gain  more  stor- 
age-room at  this  convenient  spot. 

One  may  stand  at  full  height  well  within  the  door 
of  this  canvas  woods-dwelling,  for  changing  clothes, 
etc.,  and  he  has  headroom  to  sit  up  in  his  bed;  yet 
the  walls  are  so  steep  that  a  good  quality  of  un- 
bleached muslin,  treated  as  stated,  proved  effectively 
waterproof,  even  if  the  material  was  rubbed  against 
on  the  inside.  And  our  house  is  well  ventilated, 
both  because  of  the  windows  and  as  the  alum  and 
lead  process  does  not  seal  the  pores  of  the  cloth 
while  conferring  protection  from  the  wet.  The 
writer  and  his  tent-mate  "  Denny  " —  and  may  every 
camper  have  his  equal  for  wearing  qualities  — 
weathered  on  this  trip  a  continuous  thirty-six-hour 
downpour  which  raised  the  river  twenty-two  inches, 
higher  than  it  reached  in  early  Spring. 

But  not  yet  have  we  exhausted  the  catalog  of  the 
virtues  of  this  little  tent.  On  the  inside  of  its  rear 
wall  are  four  pockets,  and  there  are  two  more  on 
either  side-wall,  alongside  the  heads  of  the  beds,  for 
miscellaneous  articles  of  clothing,  etc.  The  curious 
"  swellings  "  of  the  accompanying  illustrations  show 
that  they  were  appreciatively  utilized. 

Across  the  top  edge  of  the  rear  wall  and  from 
thence  extending  from  the  rear  corners  to  the  peak 
is  a  continuous  piece  of  braided  cotton-rope,  with 
small  galvanized  thimbles  at  these  corners.  This 
rope-triangle  bears  all  the  chief  strain  of  the  ropes 


26o     THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

holding  the  tent,  and  it  is  sewed  to  the  inside  of  the 
roof  at  its  edges.  About  two  feet  from  the  peak 
it  is  left  unattached  for  a  space  to  admit  of  the  in- 
sertion of  a  pothook  for  suspension  of  a  Stonebridge 
folding  candle-lantern  (never  go  into  camp  without 
one,  and  use  the  extra  hard  plumbers'-candles  that 
will  burn  for  hours  with  a  minimum  of  drip). 

The  main  guy-ropes  are  two  single  ropes  leading 
from  the  top  corners  of  the  low  rear  wall,  and  a 
much  longer  double  rope  leading  from  the  peak  over 
a  pair  of  sapling  shears  and  secured  at  either  side 
out  in  front;  and  the  shears  leave  the  door  unob- 
structed. By  easy  manipulation  of  these  shears  and 
of  the  tautening-sticks  placed  under  the  rear  guys, 
slack  quickly  is  taken  up  when  required. 

The  weight  of  the  completed  ground-cloth  is  about 
ten  pounds,  making  fifteen  or  sixteen  pounds  for 
the  completed  tent;  and  twenty-five  or  -six  pounds 
for  the  whole  outfit,  including  ten  pounds  of  blankets, 
which  one  man  readily  may  carry  in  a  packstrap 
while  his  companion  lugs  the  cook-kit  and  the  grub. 

Oh,  about  those  newspapers !  The  added  weight 
is  insignificant,  and  spread  out  between  the  blanket 
and  the  canvas,  under  and  over  the  sleeper,  they  are 
effective  for  much  added  warmth  in  chilly  weather. 
During  prolonged  wet  weather  you  will  appreciate 
more  than  ever  the  value  of  woolen  underwear  for 
the  woods,  even  in  Summer;  and  also  the  desirability 
of  a  warm,  dry,  comfortable  bed.  Sheepskin  bed- 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  261 

slippers  are  another  great  comfort;  so  is  a  sleeping- 
hood  at  times.     Another  pointer  on  the  theme  of 
keeping  warm  in  extra  chilly  weather:     The  time 
that  most  you  will  feel  the  cold  is  about  three  A.  M., 
and  the  place  will  be  your  back,  between  waist  and 
shoulders.     A  sheepskin  vest  may  be  bought  for 
four  or  five  dollars  and  is  a  good  investment  — 
either  way  you  look  at  it;  and  it 's  nice  for  automo- 
biling  in  Winter,  especially  for  the  doctor  when  he 
gets  up  out  of  a  warm  bed  in  the  early  hours  to  face 
the  chill  blast.     If,  in  addition  to  the  observance  of 
these  suggestions,  you  carry  to  bed  with  you  the  hot- 
water  bottle  mentioned  in  the  previous  chapter,  and 
should  you  chance  to  have  along  a  down  quilt  to  curl 
up  in  inside  your  blanket  —  well,  you  may  realize 
that  you  can  be  comfortable  even  in  a  tent,  in  the 
woods,  and  in  the  rain.     Of  course  it  requires  fore- 
thought and  the  application  of  brains  and  ingenuity; 
and  while  the  latter  may  be  some  other  fellow's  or 
a  composite  of  some  other  outdoorsmen's,  the  fore- 
thought must  be  yours.     Down  quilts,  though  un- 
deniably bulky,   are  extremely  light;  and  you  can 
economize  both  in  bulk  and  cost  by  dividing  one  full- 
sized  quilt  into  three  parts,  each  of  which  will  afford 
good  back  protection  for  one  sleeper;  or  a  feather 
pillow  will  serve  as  the  makings  of  such  a  pad.     For 
very  severe  weather,  though,  there  is  nothing  in  the 
tent  line  equal  to  one  in  the  baker  style,  left  open  in 
front,  and  whose  slanting  back-wall  reflects  down  on 


262      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

its  occupants  the  heat  from  a  good  fire  built  out  in 
front. 

Other  little  details  of  our  tent  are  a  doormat 
(yes,  sir!)  made  of  an  extra  piece  of  duck,  fifteen 
inches  by  three  feet,  secured  at  the  front  of  the  aisle 
just  within  the  door  by  hooks-and-eyes,  to  save  the 
ground-cloth  proper  from  muddy  feet;  and  two 
straps  sewed  at  the  head  of  each  bed  under  which 


Window  detail: 

A  —  Cord  and  bridle  for  raising  flap.  B  —  Cords  for  guys  and  closing. 
C  —  Eyelet-holes  through  tent  wall.  D  —  Triangular  pockets  at  back  and 
corners  to  insert:  E  —  Twigs  to  reinforce  flap. 

to  slip  the  pillows  so  they  will  stay  put,  said  pillows 
consisting  of  flour-bags  stuffed  with  reserve  under- 
wear, etc.,  or  with  balsam  or  other  evergreen  tips 
or  even  ordinary  leaves,  moss,  or  grass.  Mention 
also  should  be  made  here  of  the  little  pockets  at  the 
back  and  at  the  front  corners  of  the  window-flaps, 
for  the  insertion  of  twigs  to  hold  these  shutters  out 


Side  view  of  author's  tent 


Baker  tent 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  263 

flat  when  raised.  The  adjusting-cords  lead  through 
buttonholed  eyelets  to  the  inside  of  the  tent  and  are 
secured  as  desired  by  making  a  slip-noose  in  them,  the 
knot  of  which  lies  against  the  inside  wall  close  against 
the  eyelet  holes.  We  believe,  gentlemen,  we  have 
only  to  mention  that  along  the  line  of  direct  strain 
at  the  sides  of  the  triangle  forming  the  front  wall, 
and  from  the  top  of  the  rear  wall  along  each  side 
to  the  ground  front-corners  of  this  paragon  of  a 
tent,  the  muslin  is  reinforced  by  three-quarter  inch 
tape  sewed  on  the  inside. 

This  tent  is  erected,  except  for  the  finer  details, 
simply  by  staking  out  the  four  ground  corners,  and 
then  carrying  the  front  guys  from  the  peak  over  the 
shears  —  thus  it  very  quickly  is  made  a  "  safe  port 
in  a  storm."  The  procedure  was  to  chuck  all  our 
other  dunnage  immediately  into  this  and  next  to 
erect  the  big  fly  (see  ahead)  ;  we  then  could  arrange 
the  further  camp  details  under  cover,  at  leisure. 
Our  regular  outfit  comprises  in  addition  two  other, 
seven  by  seven  wall  tents  and  the  duffle-bags. 

An  important  point  in  the  construction  of  any  real 
tent  is  that  it  should  have  eaves,  projecting  at  least 
two  or  three  inches,  where  the  roof  meets  the  side- 
wall  at  a  sharp  angle,  and  especially  when  a  seam  is 
there;  another  thing  is  that  it  often  is  a  good  stunt 
to  economize  in  weight  by  having  the  sides  of  very 
light  material  but  to  have  the  roof  of  heavier  stuff. 

A  simpler  application  of  the  stretcher-bed  prin- 


264      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

ciple  makes  at  once  the  easiest  to  erect,  lightest,  and 
most  comfortable  form  of  temporary  night-shelter 
known  to  the  writer.  All  you  need  is  a  single 
stretcher-bed  canvas  (they  are  stocked  in  the  out- 
fitting shops),  a  poncho  or  similar  square  of  water- 
proof material,  and  a  blanket;  or  a  second  poncho 
with  two  edges  grommeted  to  lace  together  may  be 
used  over  the  stretcher-bed  poles.  You  cut  two 
saplings  for  these  stretcher  poles;  and  four  more, 
smaller  poles  with  which  to  make  two  pairs  of  shears, 
about  four  feet  high  and  with  a  three-foot  base. 


Stretcher-bed  temporary  shelter 

The  shears  are  driven  into  the  ground  about  four  and 
one-half  feet  apart.  The  stretcher-poles  lie  outside 
the  shears,  elevated  enough  to  clear  the  ground 
nicely.  As  the  weight  of  the  stretcher  occupant  then 
tends  to  spread  his  bed,  it  automatically  is  kept  taut. 
A  rope  serves  as  ridge  and  at  the  same  time  stays  the 
whole  thing  at  the  ends,  where  it  is  securely  staked 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  265 

—  have  all  main  tent-stakes  strong  and  long  enough 
to  hold  when  that  big  wind  arrives  in  the  dead  of 
some  night.  The  poncho  or  whatnot  is  thrown  over 
the  ridge-rope  —  and  that 's  all  there  is  to  it. 

Remember  then,  when  you  are  preparing  your 
woodland  couch,  to  get  clear  of  the  ground.  Next 
to  some  such  affair,  the  best  thing  to  do  is  to  scoop 
out  a  full-length  hole,  at  least  six  or  eight  inches 
deep,  fill  this  with  browse  level  with  the  ground,  and 
then  to  top  this  with  your  damp-excluding  poncho 
within  which  is  folded  your  blanket. 

If  the  personnel  of  your  party  is  large  enough 
for  two  or  more  tents,  a  nice  thing  is  to  have  a  large 
waterproof  fly  that  you  can  use  for  the  ridged  roof 
of  a  court  around  three  sides  of  which  the  tents  are 
grouped,  each  facing  the  center.  Such  an  arrange- 
ment makes  a  very  comfortable  "  fix."  In  pro- 
tracted rainy  weather  you  can  build  your  small  cook- 
ing-fire under  this  large  fly  and  sit  around  it  and 
eat  in  comfort;  also  you  have  the  means  of  drying 
out  clothing,  etc.  Upon  our  trip  mentioned  above 
we  had  a  sixteen-foot-square  fly  for  this  purpose, 
which,  stretched  over  and  between  our  tents,  proved  a 
life  saver;  this  also  was  treated  with  the  alum  and 
lead,  but  it  is  of  six-ounce  drill.  We  had  pitched 
camp  in  the  rain,  most  of  the  time  continued  to  camp 
in  the  rain,  and  all  but  broke  camp  in  the  rain.  You 
may  keep  dry  during  a  prolonged  rainy  season  and 
yet  find  the  confinement  of  close  tent-life  very  irk- 


266      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 


some;  a  device  of  the  kind  we  have  described  adds 
much  to  your  freedom  of  movement  under  these 
circumstances.  In  the  picture  of  the  "  Anglers' 
Camp  "  you  will  see  how  three  tents  may  be  set  up 
around  such  a  big  central  fly.  It  had  best  extend  a 
little  beyond  the  front  of  each  tent,  being  about  two 
feet  higher  than  the  tents  at  their  highest  point; 
the  open  side  of  the  court  faces  the  stream.  Here 
is  a  rough  diagram  of  the  plan.  The  uprights 
which  support  the  ridge-pole  for  this  big  fly  may  also 
be  utilized  in  the  erection  of  two  of  the  tents. 


\ 


T£NT 


\ 


•,.,,„,,, 


Plan   of  tents  grouped  to   face   central   court   roofed  by   large   fly 

Another  thing  that  will  add  measurably  to  your 
comfort  in  a  wet  camp  is  some  pieces  of  canvas  with 
which  you  may  improvise  stools  and  chairs  to  sit 
upon  under  cover  of  your  fly.  A  triangular  piece 
of  duck,  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  long  on  the  sides, 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  267 

rope-bound  and  looped  at  the  corners  —  or  hemmed 
at  the  edges  and  reinforced  at  the  corners,  where 
grommets  are  inserted  —  with  the  blunt-pointed 
ends  of  three  crossed  sticks  thrust  into  these  corners, 
the  sticks  being  bound  together  at  the  middle,  makes 
a  stool  not  to  be  sneezed  at. 

Before  we  proceed  any  further  with  this  discus- 
sion we  must  have  special  concern  for  our  matches. 
If  you  have  but  once  experienced  the  feeling  of 
miserable  desolation  in  the  wet  woods  without  the 
means  of  producing  that  thing  most  desirable  of  all, 
the  cheer  of  a  fire,  you  need  not  be  impressed  with 
the  idea  that  those  matches  must  be  stored  in  an 
absolutely  water-tight  tin  receptacle.  A  shaving- 
stick  metal  holder  makes  a  handy  one.  And  it  is  n't 
a  bad  stunt  always  to  have  on  your  person  a  special, 
emergency  supply  of  matches  further  protected  by 
previously  having  had  their  heads  dipped  in  shellac 
or  melted  paraffine. 

Moreover  don't  overlook  the  value  of  a  store  of 
dry,  small  pine-kindlings  —  mere  slivers  of  wood 
that  you  bring  from  home,  included  amongst  your 
duffle,  and  guard  jealously  by  taking  them  to  bed 
with  you,  under  the  blanket,  and  reserve  strictly  for 
actual  need.  The  war-introduced  "  trench  torch  " 
or  candle  is  also  a  great  boon  when  starting  a  fire 
under  dam(p),  bad  circumstances. 

Some  of  these  things  we  have  discussed  thus  far 
are  in  truth  but  the  A  B  C's  of  the  expert  woodsman, 


268      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

but  soon  we  are  about  to  reveal  something  that  we 
believe  to  be  really  new  —  at  any  rate  very  little 
known  —  about  camp-fires;  in  short  we  now  shall 
discourse  about  the  "  Loot's  "  rain-defying  outside 
camp-fire,  a  discovery  that  he  made  on  our  memor- 
able wet  expedition,  demonstrating  before  our  very 
eyes  how  necessity  could  be  the  mother  of  invention. 
This  phenomenon  is  that  of  keeping  a  fire  going 
right  out  in  the  open,  and  with  a  good  steady  rain 
raining  right  along!  As  already  affirmed,  so  far 
as  we  are  aware  the  inspiration  of  genius  that  created 
it  had  its  genesis  in  the  cerebrum  of  Charlie,  the 
popular  Lieutenant,  as  intimated,  of  our  local  branch 
of  the  State  Guard,  and  one  of  our  Westchester 
County  Supervisors.  If  he  supervises  the  county 
affairs  that  directly  concern  Yonkers  as  ably  as  he 
can  supervise  a  camp-fire,  he  should  be  elected  to 
succeed  himself  perennially. 

After  a  fire  is  once  well  started  under  cover  it  is 
a  simple  enough  matter  to  dry  out  alongside  of  it 
firewood  for  use  as  needed  —  and  if  you  are  not  an 
experienced  camper  you  will  be  astonished  to  learn 
how  small  a  cooking-fire  need  be  to  be  efficient;  it 's 
that  starting  it  that  may  be  the  rub,  to  say  nothing 
of  keeping  it  going  satisfactorily  in  the  open.  So 
to  start  this  Charlie  affair  a-going,  you  may  have 
to  hunt  for  some  dry  tinder  from  the  inside  of  a  dead 
stump  or  log.  Or  the  thin  outer  bark  of  the  white 
or  yellow  birches  contains  a  vegetable  oil  that  will 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  269 

admit  of  its  being  fired  even  when  sodden  with  wet. 
(Birch  logs  are  the  best-burning  green  wood.)  But 
you  must  proceed  in  the  right  way.  Make  a  cy- 
lindrical roll  of  this  bark,  stand  it  vertically  with 
the  lower  edge  resting  on  two  small  stones  or  pieces 
of  wood  to  lift  it  at  least  an  inch  clear  of  the  ground, 
brace  it  thus  with  a  few  small  pieces  of  kindling 
ranged  about  it  conewise,  like  the  poles  of  a  minia- 
ture tepee  tent,  and  fire  the  bark  at  the  bottom  edge. 
In  addition  to  birch-bark,  you  should  lose  no  time 
in  collecting  a  stock  of  small,  dry,  dead  twigs  for 
safe  storage  in  camp  after  it  is  once  pitched,  for 
kindling,  against  a  wet  spell,  and  occasionally  you 
may  souse  these  with  surplus  frying-pan  fat.  These 
or  your  pine  kindlings  and  your  birch-bark  will  fur- 
nish sufficient  nucleus  for  a  good  fire  at  any  time. 
If  you  have  thought  to  bring  along  a  small  bellows, 
so  much  the  better.  A  piece  of  rubber  tubing  at- 
tached to  a  short  metal  tube  having  one  end  flat- 
tened to  insinuate  under  the  embryo  fire  (perhaps 
made  from  an  old  rod-ferrule),  isn't  a  bad  fire- 
blower.  (The  whole  might  easily  be  fashioned 
from  a  doctors'  defunct  stethoscope.) 

But  how  did  Charlie  do  it?  —  well,  we're  getting 
to  that.  His  beautiful  idea  is  to  build  a  roof  of  wet 
firewood  over  the  fire,  by  placing  one  end  of  the 
sticks  on  the  top  backlog,  butting  against  a  strip  of 
wood  stood  vertically  to  keep  them  from  slipping 
off,  with  their  forward  ends  resting  on  the  cross-bar 


270      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

or  crane  from  which  the  pots  and  "  kittles  "  are  sus- 
pended, and  projecting  somewhat  in  front  of  it.  A 
little  space  is  left  between  the  sticks  as  they  are 
laid  side  by  side,  so  they  will  not  blanket  the  fire 
too  much.  These  screen  the  fire  from  the  rain  suf- 
ficiently so  that  it  will  keep  burning,  and  the  fire 
dries  them  enough  so  that  they  burn  readily.  When 
the  fire  needs  replenishing  you  feed  it  with  a  piece 
of  the  roof  dropped  dry  side  down,  and  replace  this 
with  another,  wet  piece  of  firewood;  how  's  that  for 
perpetual  reciprocity! 

But  after  all,  what  less  should  we  have  expected 
as  a  result  of  Charlie's  exuberant  personal  and  pro- 
fessional qualifications!  I  have  mentioned  some- 
thing about  his  social  and  political  activities  —  but 
not  a  word  as  to  his  business-card,  which  in  our  home 
paper  reads  as  follows: 

Secure  our  estimate  on  your  heating 
plant  (new  or  repairs).  Our  work 
and  materials  give  the  best  service. 
Our  figures  are  close. 

w &  c 

Steam  and  Water  Heating 

The  unanimous  vote  of  the  bunch  at  "  Big-Birch  " 
camp  was  that  his  services  were  eminently  satisfac- 
tory, and  that  the  result  of  his  "  figuring  "  was  be- 
yond cavil  as  economical  of  time  and  energy  as  the 
above  literary  specimen  is  devoid  of  verbiage. 

In  the  accompanying  illustration  of  this  arrange- 
ment there  is  no  camouflage  about  the  trout  frying 


w 


O 


H 

D 
O 

O 

z 

— 

>H 

p-l 

s 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  271 

in  the  pan,  although  the  "  panhandler  "  in  this  in- 
stance is  not  the  fire  and  county  supervisor,  but 
"  Denny  the  Axman,"  who  more  recently  has  mani- 
fested an  ambition  to  "  usurp  "  the  cook's  preroga- 
tives. 

Every  orthodox  camp  outfit  must  include  a  "  ditty- 
bag  " —  a  compact  collection  of  things  of  general 
utility.  Here  are  some  of  the  items  that  should 
not  be  overlooked.  We  already  have  mentioned 
nails,  in  connection  with  the  tent  stretcher-bed. 
They  are  most  useful  in  camp;  have  on  assortment 
of  varied  sizes,  and  including  hobnails.  A  ball  of 
martin  is  handy  for  lashing  tent-poles,  etc.  Pliers 
and  a  coil  of  wire  often  are  not  to  be  despised.  Of 
course  you  want  sewing  materials,  including  thimble 
or  a  sailmakers'  palm,  beeswax,  and  patches  and  but- 
tons, for  clothing  and  tent  repairs.  Tackle-  and 
wader-repairing  outfits  must  find  a  place.  A  leather- 
stitching  hand  awl  may  not  come  amiss.  Then  there 
is  that  file  and  carborundum-stone  for  sharpening  the 
ax  and  other  edged  tools.  And  don't  forget  safety- 
pins  —  fine  for  pinning  shirt-pockets  so  things  won't 
drop  out;  and  big  fellows,  horse-blanket  size,  are  just 
as  good  for  blankets  for  humans  —  to  pin  fast  the 
doubled-up  bottom,  when  you  arrange  it  in  sleeping- 
bag  style,  and  for  holding  the  top  in  place. 

The  ax  itself  won't  go  into  the  ditty-bag  —  for, 
in  addition  to  the  camp  hatchet  or  small  ax,  you  want 
a  real  ax  for  real  execution;  it  should  be  at  least 


272      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

a  "  three-quarter  "  size.  But  it  will  pack  all  right 
into  the  center  of  a  duffle-bag,  the  blade  having  a 
guard  affixed.  That  icemen's  ax,  with  its  pick  at 
one  end  of  the  head,  isn't  a  bad  camp-tool,  with  the 
handle  shortened.  And  it  is  a  good  idea  to  wire 
your  ax-  and  hatchet-heads  to  their  helves,  by  insert- 
ing a  piece  of  stout  wire  through  a  hole  bored 
through  the  handle  close  to  the  back  of  the  head 
and  then  bringing  the  ends  of  the  wire  in  front  of 
the  head  and  twisting  them  together. 

The  novice  will  be  interested  to  see  what  an  actual 
"  grub-list,"  ample  for  five  men  for  two  weeks,  will 
look  like.  We  lived  royally  on  this  with  the  addi- 
tion to  the  menu  of  trout,  wild-strawberry  short- 
cake, and  some  potatoes  and  a  fowl  or  two  obtained 
from  a  farmer  —  in  a  manner  perfectly  legitimate. 
And  note  that  we  were  not  unmindful  of  the  value 
of  macaroni  as  a  portable  potato-substitute.  The 
total  expense  of  this  trip,  exclusive  of  railroad  fares 
but  inclusive  of  twelve  dollars  paid  for  the  trans- 
portation of  the  whole  outfit,  men  and  dunnage,  into 
and  out  of  the  woods  —  about  twenty-five  miles  — 
at  the  prices  then  current,  amounted  to  seventy- 
nine  cents  per  day  for  each  member  of  the  party. 
Alas !  those  days  so  recent  yet  of  yore  have  gone, 
never  to  return.  Here  then  follows  the  larder : 

7  pounds  flour  4  pounds  rice 

4  pounds     prepared     pancake-    10  pounds  bacon 
flour  2  pounds  salt  pork 


£ 

O 


H 


w 

O 


O 
O 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  273 

2  pounds  cornmeal  i  can  Crisco 

4  pounds   beans  12%  pounds   sugar  . 
2  pounds  lima  beans  i  pound  salt 

2  pounds  split  peas  i  box  pepper 
8  packages  spaghetti                       4  nutmegs 

i  pot  mustard  8  cans  soup 

5  pounds  cheese  4  pounds  dried   prunes 

3  pounds  hardtack  2  pounds  dried  apricots 

6  pounds  onions  5  pounds  raisins 

i  package  Pettijohn  24  Steero  beef-cubes 

3  packages  H.  O.  12  cakes  German's  sweet  choco- 
5  pounds  butter  late 

%  pound  baking  powder  2  pounds  English  walnuts 

7  pounds   coffee  3  jars  mixed  pickles 

z  pound  tea  8  jars  jams  and  jellies 

4  cans  cocoa  2  jars  honey 

14  cans  unsweetened  evaporated     i  bottle  salad  dressing 
milk 

(Note. —  Powdered  milk,  as  the  "Klim"  brand,  may  be  substi- 
tuted for  condensed  milk  in  liquid  form.  Dehydrated  vegetables, 
such  as  potatoes  and  onions,  and  dehydrated  berries  are  worth  keep- 
ing in  mind.  Sugar,  flour,  coffee,  and  tea  are  best  first  enclosed 
individually  in  paraffined  muslin  bags,  and  salt  in  a  wooden  box  to 
keep  it  dry.  In  packing  jars  of  jelly,  etc.,  wrap  in  newspapers  and 
then  put  in  empty  tobacco-cans,  securing  the  covers  with  strips  of 
adhesive  plaster  on  which  mark  the  contents.  Generally  you  may 
check  on  the  railroad  as  ^baggage  150  pounds  of  properly  packed 
dunnage  to  each  man.) 

For  a  nutritious  emergency  ration  in  compact 
form,  to  carry  in  the  pocket  when  away  from  camp 
for  the  day,  have  some  rolled-wheat  cereal  (as  Petti- 
john's),  dry  raisins,  walnut  meats,  German's  sweet 
chocolate  (Walter  Baker  and  Co.),  and  a  little  tea. 
You  can  pit  some  prunes  and  insert  the  walnut  meats 
—  which  make  prunes  acceptable  to  anyone.  Then 
there  is  that  concentrated  form  of  pulverized  cof- 
fee (G.  Washington  brand).  Carry  these  in  a  little 


274      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

paraffined-muslin  bag.  Also  take  along  on  these  lit- 
tle side-trips  some  bits  of  trench  torch;  one  piece 
supplies  sufficient  fire  to  heat  water  or  make  coffee. 
These  torches  are  made  by  rolling  newspapers  into 
a  tight  cylinder  of  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  past- 
ing the  outside  sheet  to  hold  all,  sawing  into  two-  or 
three-inch  lengths,  and  then  boiling  them  for  five 
minutes  in  parafEne.  Or  you  can  make  them  of 
burlap  or  any  coarse  cloth  soaked  in  most  any  grease. 

It  is  quite  desirable  that  your  provisions  be  pro- 
tected from  the  depredations  of  ants  and  other  woods 
pests,  prominent  among  which  is  the  porcupine.  Ef- 
fectual against  crawling  vermin  will  be  the  simple 
expedient  of  making  a  skeleton  table  of  small  boughs, 
having  legs  about  a  foot  long  to  raise  it  above  the 
ground.  Have  each  leg  resting  in  a  tin  can,  fill  the 
cans  with  water,  and  store  your  provisions  on  this 
table  in  the  commissary  tent.  A  securer  plan  is  to 
store  them  upon  a  covered  shelf  suspended  in  mid- 
air by  wire  attached  to  a  horizontal  limb  of  a  tree. 

Have  everything  neat  as  a  pin  about  your  camp, 
burying  all  refuse  that  won't  burn.  You  inevitably 
will  leave  behind  unmistakable  signs  of  having 
camped  in  the  spot,  but  don't  expose  yourselves  to 
the  diagnosis  of  having  "  picnicked  "  there.  Every 
true  lover  of  the  woods  is  scrupulously  careful  about 
the  disposition  of  lighted  matches,  and  about  quench- 
ing all  fires  after  they  have  served  his  purpose;  the 
Game  Commission  and  the  Forest  Service  have  not 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP 


275 


harped   upon   this    precaution   one    bit    too   much. 

In  addition  to  the  grub,  also  the  following  items, 

some  not  already  noted,  were  on  my  checking-list: 

Cheap   canvas   gloves,    used    in      File 


handling  the  reflector-baker 
Canteen 

Collapsible  canvas-bucket 
Cook-kit 

Pipes  and  tobacco 
Mosquito-dope 
Three-in-One  oil 
18  candles 

Flour-bag  pillow-slips 
Mirror 
Postal  cards 
Indelible  pencil 
Whisk-broom 
Map 
Compass 
Pedometer 


Carborundum-stone 

Camera  and  films 

Flashlight  and  extra  batteries 

Hot-water  bag 

Bellows 

Pine  kindlings 

Canvas  stool-seats 

Medicine-kit 

4  boxes  matches 

2  cakes  Babbitt's  soap 

2  cakes  Ivory  soap 

i  cake  Sapolio 

i  can  Greosolvent  hand-paste 

i  box  toothpicks 
Bird,  tree,  and  flower  books 
Calendar 


Note  this  last  item;  it  is  surprising  in  how  short 
a  time  in  the  woods  you  can  lose  all  track  of  the 
days. 

Fresh-water  fish  that  you  intend  to  ship  or  trans- 
port home  are  best  cleaned  soon  after  killing;  this 
should  include  removal  of  the  gills  but  not  of  the 
large  blood-sinus  along  the  backbone.  You  may 
place  inside  each  fish  some  damp  watercress  (not 
ferns  or  grass)  ;  wrap  individually  and  tightly  in 
paraffined  or  other  paper  to  exclude  the  air;  and 
then  make  of  all  one  package  wrapped  in  sawdust 
and  more  paper,  and  cloth  —  dry.  Till  the  last 
moment  before  shipment  or  transportation,  keep 


276      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

them  if  possible  on  but  not  against  ice;  otherwise 
keep  in  a  covered  pail  buried  in  the  ground  or  set 
in  a  shallow,  shady  part  of  the  stream.  This  latter 
way  we  have  kept  trout  in  camp  perfectly  sweet  and 
firm  for  over  three  days  in  midsummer.  Fresh  fish 
are  also  sometimes  packed  in  salt  for  a  journey, 
which  is  soaked  out  in  water  at  their  destination,  be- 
fore cooking  them;  and  yet  another  plan  is  to  hang 
them  in  the  smoke  of  the  camp-fire  a  few  hours, 
after  gutting  them,  and  then  wrap  after  they  are 
plentifully  peppered  inside. 

To  clean  trout,  sever  the  attachment  of  the  gills 
well  forward  under  the  lower  jaw  and  at  the  sides 
in  front  of  the  pectoral  fins;  hook  your  finger  into 
the  gills  and  strip  toward  the  tail,  when  everything 
comes  away  clean  at  once.  The  nicest  way  to  pre- 
pare bass  is,  after  scaling,  to  cut  along  each  side  of 
the  dorsal  fin  the  whole  length  of  the  back,  with  a 
good-sized  sharp  knife,  and  carrying  the  incision 
across  the  body  behind  the  gill  covers;  then  "  saw  " 
off  a  steak  or  fillet  close  down  to  the  bones,  discard- 
ing the  rest.  Pickerel  and  perch  preferably  are 
skinned. 

The  safest  place  to  carry  your  bill-roll  is  in  a 
chamois-leather  bag  securely  fastened  around  your 
neck. 

Keep  a  notebook  of  choice  bits  of  practical  in- 
formation on  camping,  woodcraft,  and  angling  ac- 
quired on  your  trips  into  the  woods. 


COPYRIGHT    BY    WM.    LYMAN    UNDERWOOD 

STILL  YOUNG— IN  ENTHUSIASM 


THE  ANGLER'S  CAMP  277 

A  last  caution  —  which  might  well  have  come  first 
—  is  that  you  be  wary  of  your  drinking  supply  when 
camping.  If  you  imbibe  the  nectar  of  the  gods 
from  a  living  spring  at  its  source  — "  b'gosh,  that 's 
the  kind  er  water  a  feller  kin  drink  when  he  ain't 
dry!  " — you  shouldn't  worry.  But  if  in  the  least 
suspicious  of  contamination,  either  boil  the  water  or 
treat  it  with  a  dilute  solution  of  chloride  of  lime. 
The  following  formula  will  be  satisfactory:  Add 
one  teaspoonful  of  fresh  chloride  of  lime  to  one  pint 
of  water,  which  will  keep  for  several  days  if  stored 
in  a  stoppered  bottle.  If  one  teaspoonful  of  this 
solution  is  added  to  two  gallons  of  drinking  water 
and  allowed  to  stand  for  half  an  hour  the  water  will 
then  be  safe  for  use. 

But  my !  boys,  it 's  getting  late ;  and  the  camp-fire 
has  burned  low.  Suppose  we  all  crawl  into  our 
blankets.  Good  night!  and  a  full  creel  for  every- 
body tomorrow. 


Finally,  patient  "  Scholer,"  and  once  again, 

Here  's  to  the  swish  of  the  Split-Bamboo !  — 
Musical  swish  of  your  own  bamboo. — 

Go  to  it!  And  may  the  abounding  benediction  of 
the  Great  Father  of  the  beautiful  outdoors  be  visited 
upon  each  and  every  one  of  you,  in  the  guise  of  re- 
newed brightness  of  eye,  elasticity  of  step,  accelera- 
tion of  appetite  and  digestion  coincident  with  reduc- 


278      THE  IDYL  OF  THE  SPLIT-BAMBOO 

tion  of  equatorial  girth,  refreshment  of  slumber, 
serenity  of  mind,  and  mellowness  of  heart,  so  long 
as  warbling  birds,  Springtime  flowers,  the  whisper- 
ing woods,  and  murmuring  waters  shall  exist  for  our 
periodical  enchantment  and  sanctuary  —  which  may 
it  be  a  long,  long  while,  before,  joining  my  old-time 

angling  companion  John  P ,  we  too  will  have 

passed  on,  out  of  sight  downstream,  to  that  faraway 
land  where  "  a  pure  river  of  the  Water  of  Life,  clear 
as  crystal,  proceedeth  from  the  throne  of  God." 


Make  all  good  men  your  well-wishers, 
and  then,  in  the  years'  steady  sifting, 

Some  of  them  turn  into  friends.    Friends 
are  the  sunshine  of  life. 

—  JOHN  HAY. 


BOOKS    FOR   THE   ANGLER 

Fishing  Facts  of  the  Utmost  Interest  for  all 
Lovers  of  the  Out-O'-Doors 

Goin'  Fishin' 

BY  DIXIE  CARROLL 

Author  of  Fishing  Tackle  and  Kits,  Lake  and  Stream  Game 

Fishing;  Editor  of  The  National  Sportsman, 

Chicago  Evening  News,  Etc. 

Introduction  by 
Major-General  Leonard  Wood 

A  new  book  for  the  every  now-and-then  fisherman  as 
well  as  the  expert  angler.  Full  of  fishing  facts  gathered 
from  lake  and  stream  fishing  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Weather  conditions  and  how  they  affect  fishing.  Feed  and 
food  dope  and  how  it  relates  to  when  the  fish  are  biting. 
Handling  the  rod,  playing  the  fish,  the  backlash  and  how 
to  eliminate  it.  Busting  the  rules  of  the  game.  Natural 
baits  and  artificials,  how  to  use  them  and  when.  Home 
life  of  the  game  fish,  the  kind  of  waters  and  underwater 
formations  they  loaf  about  and  why.  The  camp  commissary 
and  what  to  take  along.  Sportsmanship  in  fishing.  Every- 
thing written  from  personal  study  in  a  style  of  one  fellow 
to  another  to  help  him  derive  more  enjoyment  from  nature 
along  stream  and  lake  water  trails.  Where  to  go  a-fishing, 
data  about  places  where  the  author  has  fished. 

Many  illustrations  from  photographs.  Colored  cover 
jacket.  Large  12mo.  Bilk  cloth;  also  %  Green  Turkey 
Morocco. 


STEWART  &  KIDD  COMPANY 
Publishers  -  Cincinnati,  U.S.A. 


BOOKS    FOR   THE   ANGLER 

No  Angler  Should  be  Without  This  Book 

Streamcraft 

An  Angling  Manual 

BY  DR.  GEORGE  PARKER  HOLDEN 

Here  is  a  volume  dedicated  to  Henry  van  Dyke,  which  will 
be  of  great  interest  to  those  of  the  angling  fraternity.  It 
deals  with  the  selection,  care,  and  rigging  of  the  rod,  the  art 
of  casting,  trout  habits,  lures  and  their  use,  including  some 
stream  entomology,  the  angler  flies  and  how  to  tie  them,  in- 
cluding a  description  of  the  most  successful  trout  and  bass 
flies.  The  style  is  always  sprightly  and  lucid,  even  in  the 
most  technical  parts.  No  other  volume  on  American  angling 
is  so  authoritative  and  comprehensive. 

STEWAKT  EDWARD  WHITE: 

I  am  much  pleased  with  it,  and  I  am  certain  every  old 
angler  will  get  much  pleasure  from  it  and  all  new  anglers 
will  get  instruction. 

DE.  JAJIES  A.  HENSHAXL: 

I  read  the  book  with  great  interest  and  satisfaction.  It 
is  a  useful  and  instructive  manual  for  the  expert  as  well 
as  for  the  new  hand  at  trout-fishing.  I  trust  it  will  meet 
the  universal  approval  that  its  merits  deserve. 

Handsomely  and  elaborately  illustrated.  Eight  full-page 
colored  illustrations  and  numerous  black  and  whites.  The 
book  in  size  handy  for  the  pocket.  Silk  cloth;  also  %  Tur- 
key Morocco. 

STEWART  &  KIDD  COMPANY 
Publishers  -  Cincinnati,  U.  S.  A. 


BOOKS    FOR   THE   ANGLER 

America's  Greatest  Authority 

Bass,  Pike,  Perch  and  Other 
Game  Fishes  of  America 

BY  JAMES  A.  HENSHALL,  M.D. 
Author  of  the  Book  of  the  Black  Bass,  Etc. 

The  most  comprehensive  book  on  American  Game-Fishes 
published.  It  describes  in  detail  ninety  species  and  varie- 
ties of  the  game-fishes  inhabiting  fresh  water  lakes  and 
streams  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  marine  and 
brackish  waters  of  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts. 

In  addition  to  a  brief,  technical  description  of  the  fishes 
for  the  purpose  of  identification,  the  popular  description 
and  account  of  their  habits,  habitats,  and  everything  relat- 
ing to  their  environment  is  full  and  complete;  the  whole 
comprising  a  valuable  compendium  and  text-book  for  the 
angler  with  bait  or  artificial  fly. 

The  style  of  descriptions  of  the  various  fishes  is  new, 
lucid,  and  entertaining.  The  suggestions  and  directions  for 
angling,  and  of  the  tools  and  tackle  recommended  are  in 
Dr.  Henshall's  best  style,  and  can  be  confidently  recom- 
mended and  relied  on  as  they  are  in  strict  conformity  with 
his  own  practice  and  experience,  which  cover  a  period  of 
more  than  fifty  years. 

Many  illustrations;  frontispiece  and  cover  jacket  in  full 
color.  12mo.  Silk  cloth;  also  %  Turkey  Morocco. 

STEWART  &  KIDD  COMPANY 
Publishers  -  Cincinnati,  U.  S.  A. 


BOOKS    FOR   THE   ANGLER 

Valuable  for  Old  Timer  and  Tyro  Alike 

Casting  Tackle  and  Methods 

BY  O.  W.  SMITH 

Fishing  Editor  of  Outdoor  Life,  and  Author  of 
Trout  Lore 

The  author  has  endeavored  to  embody  not  only  the  ac- 
cumulated wisdom  of  forty  years  of  angling,  but  also  to 
draw  upon  the  experience  of  well-known  angling  experts. 
He  has  sought  to  impart  just  the  information  which  his 
correspondents  have  been  seeking.  Not  only  is  the  volume 
a  book  upon  tackle,  but,  as  its  name  implies,  it  deals  exten- 
sively with  angling  methods.  The  last  half  has  to  do  with 
actual  fishing.  It  will  prove  invaluable  to  the  old  hand  as 
well  as  the  new. 

For  a  dozen  years  or  more  Smith  has  been  an  "  Angling 
Editor,"  first  with  Outer's  Book  and  at  present  with  Out- 
door Life.  During  these  years  he  has  been  lord  high  ad- 
viser to  the  angling  fraternity  of  America. 

Elaborately  illustrated.  Colored  cover  jacket.  Large 
12mo.  Silk  cloth;  also  %  Green  Turkey  Morocco. 


STEWART  &  KIDD  COMPANY 
Publishers  -  Cincinnati,  U.  S.  A. 


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